Elisabeth Vincetelli

By no means do I want to give the impression that “Liberation” is the kind of good-for-you didactic show that feels like an assignment. Not only does its sustained pace make the story downright suspenseful — we quickly become invested in these women and wonder what will become of them — but spending time in their company is also an unadulterated pleasure. Directed with sensitivity by Whitney White and performed by a cast preternaturally in sync, the production looks at community and individuality, determination and self-determination, in an elegiac and impassioned manner.

It’s not a great sign when you leave a musical thinking more about the visuals than the songs — which is exactly what happens at Broadway’s new “Chaplin.”