LIBERATION by Bess Wohl to open at the James Earl Jones theatre in October - Page 3

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 10/3/25 at 7:01am

Dreamboy3 said: "Ugh ugh ugh. It is the opposite of what the play is about. I knew there was nudity because of the Yonder pouch but the actual scene was completely unexpected. This art undermines the effect."

Bingo. That scene is a total shock, and even hinting at it beforehand is a HUGE misfire..

The Yondr pouch suggested someone gets naked at some point, perhaps for a brief moment, nothing more. This is malpractice.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 10/3/25 at 9:03am

I kind of like the interpretation that the art is giving the middle finger to the patriarchy. I have mixed feelings about it but think it will help sell tickets and for that I am happy.  I liked the play but left discussing that I didn’t feel the nude scene was necessary.  As a historical play, I have to appreciate that these nude consciousness raising sessions really happened though and I appreciate that Wohl is prompting us to explore how they helped (or not) the women’s liberation movement.  

I specifically remember sending away for my subscription to Ms. magazine when I was about eleven or twelve.  So I’ve been a member of the women’s lib club almost my whole life.  I felt compelled to do a bit of chat gpt research on the nude aspect of these sessions after seeing the key art and found that there were divisive opinions about it back then too.

Reactions to Nudity in Feminist Consciousness-Raising / Body Sessions

Positive Experiences

“We realized we all had ‘imperfect’ bodies, and suddenly the beauty myths lost their power.”

“It was liberating to be naked without men present — to feel our bodies belonged to us, not to the male gaze.”

“Looking at our bodies together replaced shame with curiosity. We learned instead of hiding.”

Negative Experiences 

“Instead of feeling free, I felt more self-conscious and compared myself to others.”

“The nudity distracted from the discussion. We spent more time on comfort levels than on politics.”

“Some women laughed, others cringed. It showed how different our comfort zones were, which sometimes divided us.”

I saw Liberation in early previews off Broadway and don’t recall seeing mixed reactions to this experience from the characters. I am curious if that changed at all. I look forward to revisiting this show.

 

 

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 10/3/25 at 4:58pm

What makes the Broadway key art any more or less of a come-on than the Off Broadway production where we were waiting for the nudie show from the beginning? Sure, the nudity has context in the play and politically but it was still a bit of theatrical titillation especially when Yondr gets involved… Yondr gives it a touch of prurience.

Updated On: 10/3/25 at 04:58 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 10/3/25 at 10:28pm

I actually think that’s a really smart key art concept. The execution just feels off. I can’t put my finger on it but the photo itself feels a little uncanny valley/overcooked and the way the text is overlaying is a little of too. But from a broad standpoint—a really great idea IMO. Show them empowered, hey people talking, and also avoid any shock people people looking into the show and being deterred by the nudity. 
 

I guess the only thing is—did it really get people talking as much as they thought it would? I’ve seen very little reactions to this. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 12:03pm

It's fantastic. 

[Phillypinto2]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 2:29pm

This better be a big fat hit.  If Stereophonic or John Proctor hit, there’s no reason why this much superior work shouldn’t be the biggest hit play in years given it’s a masterpiece. 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 3:20pm

I don't want to be one of those users that come on here just to trash a show, but I wanted to throw into the unanimous praise I've seen here to say I simply could not stand this play. I've never thought Wohl was a great playwright, but I find Grand Horizons and Make Believe to be far stronger. What seemed to crash and burn about Liberation the most was:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The messy excuse (or lack thereof) and acknowledgement of the complicated relationship black women had to the white feminism movement

But I think I may rush it to see if it's any more compelling on the main stem. Maybe I was having a bad day?

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 3:20pm

Phillypinto2 said: "This better be a big fat hit. If Stereophonic or John Proctor hit, there’s no reason why this much superior work shouldn’t be the biggest hit play in years given it’s a masterpiece."

Mixed reviews off broadway, not even trying to sell the balcony and really light advance sales seems to be counter to your Masterpiece comment. Proctor and Stereophonic were both outstanding in their own ways. This just feels niche and like it needed more work.  Whitney's work on Saturday Church and Last 5 years was not impressive. She should do less and focus. 

Updated On: 10/4/25 at 03:20 PM

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 6:25pm

Falsettolands said: "I don't want to be one of those usersthat comeon here just to trash a show, but I wanted to throw into the unanimous praise I've seen here to sayI simply could not stand this play. I've never thought Wohl was a great playwright, but I find Grand Horizons and Make Believe to be far stronger. What seemed to crash and burn about Liberationthe most was:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The messy excuse (or lack thereof) and acknowledgement of the complicated relationship black women had to the white feminism movement

But I think I may rush it to see if it's any more compelling on the main stem. Maybe I was having a bad day?"

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Even within black feminist groups in the women’s movement there were class critiques of which black feminists were privileged enough to be doing the talking and writing. I didn’t love the play but it did a decent job of showing the often destructive debates within debates of that political moment.

 

Updated On: 10/4/25 at 06:25 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 7:09pm

Falsettolands said: "I don't want to be one of those usersthat comeon here just to trash a show, but I wanted to throw into the unanimous praise I've seen here to sayI simply could not stand this play. I've never thought Wohl was a great playwright, but I find Grand Horizons and Make Believe to be far stronger. What seemed to crash and burn about Liberationthe most was:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The messy excuse (or lack thereof) and acknowledgement of the complicated relationship black women had to the white feminism movement

But I think I may rush it to see if it's any more compelling on the main stem. Maybe I was having a bad day?"

This is funny because I absolutely hate Grand Horizons and had written off Bess Wohl as a playwright, but was given a ticket to this and it completely knocked me out. I thought it was one of the best and most nuanced explorations of feminism I've seen on stage. 

Also genuinely confused by your comment about black women and the white feminist movement since that is a pretty significant moment in the show that is dealt with incredibly well and honestly by a white playwright who both knows her lane but recognizes it needs to be explored here. 

Updated On: 10/4/25 at 07:09 PM

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 10/4/25 at 7:50pm

BroadwayGirl107 said: "Falsettolands said: "I don't want to be one of those usersthat comeon here just to trash a show, but I wanted to throw into the unanimous praise I've seen here to sayI simply could not stand this play. I've never thought Wohl was a great playwright, but I find Grand Horizons and Make Believe to be far stronger. What seemed to crash and burn about Liberationthe most was:

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The messy excuse (or lack thereof) and acknowledgement of the complicated relationship black women had to the white feminism movement

But I think I may rush it to see if it's any more compelling on the main stem. Maybe I was having a bad day?"

This is funny because I absolutely hate Grand Horizons and had written off Bess Wohl as a playwright, but was given a ticket to this and it completely knocked me out. I thought it was one of the best and most nuanced explorations of feminism I've seen on stage.

Also genuinely confused by your comment about black women and the white feminist movement since that is a pretty significant moment in the show that is dealt with incredibly well and honestly by a white playwright who both knows her lane but recognizes it needs to be explored here."

Yeah I’m aware it’s a pretty significant moment in the show. A significant moment that I think does not work and is written rather poorly and dealt with incredibly unwell. I understand she says on multiple occasions “I know, I KNOW this isn’t my place to talk about these issues like they are my lived experiences…well ANYWAY, here I go” and I find the continued preface of that fact to be cloying. Those were, in my opinion, the worst moments in the show.

Updated On: 10/4/25 at 07:50 PM

[Melissa25]

Posted: 10/5/25 at 7:07pm