A SOLDIER'S PLAY Reviews

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 5:14pm

A SOLDIER'S PLAY opens tonight at the American Airlines Theater. We'll see what the critics think. Post reviews here.

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 10:59pm

The BWW excerpts are interesting choices by BWW. Why is Chris Jones represented writing about the physical attractiveness of the cast?

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 11:50pm

ggersten, I actually like the excerpts they picked. Kind of covers everything.

You kind of could not ignore the physical attractiveness of the cast since you saw their bodies. It was interesting to see just how much women still swoon over Underwood. The rest of the cast had their shirts off a various times in the first act. Their bodies were incredible. Not a peep from the women in the audience. Underwood comes out buttoning his shirt and they lose their minds!

Glad it got good reviews outside of the Times. I think Green was off in his review. Grier nailed that performance. JMO

[Zion24]

Posted: 1/21/20 at 11:57pm

uncageg said: "Glad it got good reviews outside of the Times. I think Green was off in his review. Grier nailed that performance. JMO"

Agreed wholeheartedly, uncageg. Its not the best written play but this production packed its punches, and I thought Green was harsh on Underwood and completely off base on Grier who blew me away. Good to see others appreciated him (even O'Connell got some love, I saw). 

I will reiterate here that the inclusion of Underwood's shirtlessness at the top of act 2 continues to bug the hell out of me- it so obviously detracts from the performance and from the mood Leon builds, that its hard for me to understand why they didnt fix it as they so easily could have. Even more puzzled by how many critics encouraged this childishness by noting it as if its a draw. 

[Susanswerphone]

Posted: 1/23/20 at 5:56am

Of all those who appear en deshabille, Underwood is the least swoon-worthy here. But to women (and men) of a certain age, he's the most desirable persona of them. He's familiar.
Distracting? Sure. But I don't think it needs to be "fixed". It's over quickly.
It's a solid production of an average play, elevated by great performances by David Alan Grier and Jerry O'Connell.

[broadway86]

Posted: 1/23/20 at 9:51am

Susanswerphone said: "It's a solid production of an average play, elevated by great performances by David Alan Grier and Jerry O'Connell."

Agreed completely. It's a fine production, Grier and especially J. Alphonse Nicholson were excellent.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/23/20 at 11:03am

broadway86 said: "Susanswerphone said: "It's a solid production of an average play, elevated by great performances by David Alan Grier and Jerry O'Connell."

Agreed completely. It's a fine production, Grier and especially J. Alphonse Nicholson were excellent."

I find the play to be more than average. It is about way more than the murder and is written beautifully. It never lost my attention. It is a flip on the subject of racism and is accurate. There were lots of conversations happening as I left the theater. JMO