BETWEEN RIVERSIDE & CRAZY Reviews

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:03am

Stephen Adly Guirgis' Pulitzer-winning Between Riverside and Crazy makes its Broadway debut via Second Stage Theatre with its official opening night at the Hayes Theater December 19. Previews began November 30, and the run will continue through February 12, 2023. Performances January 31–February 12 will be available to stream live.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 9:44pm

4 Stars from TimeOut:

Broadway royalty Stephen McKinley Henderson holds court in Stephen Adly Guirgis's punchy dramedy.

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/between-riverside-and-crazy-broadway-review

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 9:53pm

5 Stars from NY Stage Review

https://nystagereview.com/2022/12/19/between-riverside-and-crazy-stephen-adly-guirgis-pulitzer-winner-goes-bway/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:01pm

The Wrap:

‘Between Riverside and Crazy’ Review: Common Makes a Subdued Broadway Debut as Stephen McKinley Henderson Shines

The veteran character actor delivers a truly epic lead performance in Stephen Adly Guirgis’s Pulitzer-winning drama

https://www.thewrap.com/between-riverside-and-crazy-broadway-review-common-stephen-mckinley-henderson/

"There are some truly great performances on Broadway this season, but none is more impressive than Henderson’s turn in “Between Riverside and Crazy.”"

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:02pm

Variety:

‘Between Riverside and Crazy’ Review: Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer-Winning Dark Comedy Makes Marvelous Broadway Premiere

https://variety.com/2022/legit/reviews/between-riverside-and-crazy-review-broadway-common-stephen-adly-guirgis-mckinley-henderson-1235465956/

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:03pm

NYT Critic's Pick from Jesse Green:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/theater/between-riverside-and-crazy-review.html

Stephen Adly Guirgis’s 2014 play finally comes to Broadway, its hilarious, loving and unvarnished vision of the universal human hustle intact.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:04pm

Theatrely is negative:

https://www.theatrely.com/post/between-riverside-and-crazy-far-south-of-interesting-review

"the words to describe the Prize-winner’s Broadway premiere are stiff and dusty. Save for Stephen McKinley Henderson’s masterful lead performance and Walt Spangler’s attractive, misused set, they apply to the book itself as much as to Austin Pendleton’s lifeless direction and 5.5 of the 6 other performances."

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:07pm

Rave from The Wrap

Between Riverside and Crazy’ Lies Dramatic Perfection on Broadway

Stephen Adly Guirgis’ brilliant Pulitzer-winning play about property and a stew of other New York tensions features a subtly towering performance by Stephen McKinley Henderson.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/between-riverside-and-crazy-lies-dramatic-perfection-on-broadway

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:11pm

Vulture is mostly positive, but a rave for Henderson

https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/theater-review-between-riverside-and-crazy-on-broadway.html

"The play wobbles when it’s just Junior alone with Lulu, the two of them caught up in predictable lover’s quarrels, and more generally when Walter himself isn’t onstage. He’s completely the main attraction, a character and a performance that draws every eye in the Hayes Theater. Henderson’s Walter belongs on Broadway, and it’s a pity it took this long for the production to transfer. He’s this sputtering, bellyaching tragic monarch of contemporary New York — a place where even royalty can still be evicted."

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:43pm

DTLI Consensus: Between great and incredible. 

11 positive (including the NYT), 1 negative. 

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/between-riverside-and-crazy-2/

[steve.sometime]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 10:49pm

So glad about the glowing reviews!! This is my favorite out of the plays I saw in the past few months, which includes Downstate, Topdog/Underdog, Piano Lesson, You Will Get Sick among others.

Updated On: 12/19/22 at 10:49 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 11:01pm

Don’t forget the play will be streamed the end of its run and tickets for that are available to buy on the 2ST website, so everyone will be able to watch it. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/19/22 at 11:42pm

Finally time for SMH to win a Tony? It’s early in the season but I don’t really see them giving it to Wendell or Sean Hayes (or Nathan Lane again, unless he’s revelatory).

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/20/22 at 1:33pm

Seems like it might be between Stephen McKinley Henderson and Wendell Pierce for best actor, but two very exciting choices to have!

[Ptero2]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 10:11pm

Henderson was as good as advertised and should for sure be in Tony contention. Everything around him? I thought it was just okay. Some predictable story beats and threads that I didn't find too interesting, but overall it was a pretty entertaining night out with some really funny moments. 

Gotta say though - this might have been the worst audience in my young theater-going career. Hopefully it's just because of the holidays, because these people did not ever stop talking or making noise. The guy next to me even took a phone call!

Updated On: 12/26/22 at 10:11 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/26/22 at 11:06pm

A lady in the 2nd row near me at “Some Like It Hot” the other night took a phone call, too! Insane.  

[inception]

Posted: 12/27/22 at 8:19am

They should just do those Yondr pouches for every show. 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 12/28/22 at 10:24am

I really enjoyed this and I agree with all the praise for Henderson. Common's role is relatively small but he does have his moments. My favorite thing about this was the set design and use of the turntable to switch between rooms in the apartment. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 1/4/23 at 12:44pm

Performances today and tomorrow have been cancelled.

Also, Maria-Christina Oliveras will join the company once performances resume, replacing Liza Colón-Zayas.

[JoeW4]

Posted: 1/4/23 at 1:46pm

Actually, Maria-Christina Oliveras was on last night, and delivered a solid performance. J. Anthony Crane was also on as the the understudy for the male cop - and likewise, he was really strong. Wouldn't have guessed he was an understudy. 

Since both of those actors were already on last night, I guess the cancelation must be unrelated to either of them.

Posted more thoughts on the show here, btw

Updated On: 1/4/23 at 01:46 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/4/23 at 5:04pm

Tonight and tomorrow's performances are cancelled due to Covid.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/14/23 at 11:53pm

this was an entertaining 2 hours; very good, not great. Stephen McKinley Henderson, however, is off the charts great in this. A sure Tony nomination, and I would hope in close contention for a win. What a year for actors of color in this category; Wendell Pierce, Corey Hawkins, and Henderson all feel like front runners in any other season.

Once again, I found the audience (packed, young, diverse- great to see!) so eager to laugh at every line, and ruining moments that should have otherwise landed. Some of the actors seemed to lean into this a bit but all had their moments. Common is fine- in a way I give him alot of credit for taking such a relatively unshowy role and clearly relishing being an ensemble member who takes a backseat to a formidable lead

I thought the standout supporting actor was Michael Rispoli, who I really do hope the Tony nominators remember in the spring. A complicated, unsavory character, rendered with great charm. But its Henderson's show, and hes perfect. Grumpy and natural-sounding, but articulating every word like an artist. There were moments he reminded me of Audra McDonald in the way he held the audience so effortlessly in the palm of his hand. Worth the price of admission.

 

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 1/15/23 at 12:24am

It really can't be overstated how good Henderson is in this. He's at the level of Glenda Jackson in Three Tall Women or Mary-Louise Parker in The Sound Inside in terms of star wattage.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/15/23 at 11:25am

EDSOSLO858 said: "Performances today and tomorrow have been cancelled.

Also, Maria-Christina Oliveras will join the company once performances resume, replacing Liza Colón-Zayas."

Noticed in Oliveras' bio that she was in the Hadestown national tour. Apparently, she was publicly announced to star as Persephone in October, made her debut, did two more shows, and that was that. Is now on Broadway in this 2 months later. Any idea what happened there? 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 1/23/23 at 7:37pm

Another cast member has left due to a "schedule conflict"

something weird is going on behind the scenes, Stephen has been vague tweeting about drama the last few weeks

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Gary-Perez-Joins-The-Cast-Of-BETWEEN-RIVERSIDE-AND-CRAZY-20230123