PATRIOTS Opening Night Critics’ Reviews

In 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the new Russia belongs to its oligarchs—and no one is more powerful than billionaire Boris Berezovsky. When an eventual successor to President Boris Yeltsin is needed, Berezovsky turns to the little-known deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, Vladimir Putin. But soon Putin’s ruthless rise threatens Berezovsky’s reign, setting off a riveting, near-Shakespearean confrontation between the two powerful, fatally flawed men.

Tony® and Emmy® Award nominee Michael Stuhlbargstars as Berezovsky and Will Keen reprises his Olivier Award-winning turn as Putin in PATRIOTS, a shockingly timely history play from Peter Morgan, creator of “The Crown.”

Don’t miss this strictly limited engagement of Olivier Award winner Rupert Goold’s kinetic, exhilarating production, which reveals to us all how Russia's post-Soviet machinations continue to shape our world to this day.


The production opens at the Barrymore Theatre on Monday, April 22, 2024.

Deadline:

"As good as Stuhlbarg and Keen are – and they’re very good, as are Luke Thallon as oligarch-turned-Putin puppet Roman Abramovic and Alex Hurt as Berezovsky’s doomed security man – Patriots never fully conveys the emotional vitality or grand drama – in short, the Shakespearean – in the power plays. As history lesson, Patriots is more than worthy. As drama, well, it’s a history lesson."

https://deadline.com/feature/broadway-show-reviews-spring-2024-1235866317/

The Wrap:

‘Patriots’ Broadway Review: After Serving Up the Royals, Peter Morgan Takes on the Russians

“The Crown” creator delivers a first-rate comedy about Putin and the oligarchs — the second act of his play is another story

https://www.thewrap.com/patriots-broadway-review-peter-morgan-putin-play/

"Ultimately, the first-rate comedy of the first act turns into the second-rate melodrama of the second act."

The Creator of The Crown Has Turned Putin’s Rise Into a Shakespearean Drama

With the timely Patriots, Peter Morgan is still playing fast and loose with the facts.

https://slate.com/culture/2024/04/patriots-true-story-broadway-putin-play-netflix-crown-review.html

During tonight’s performance, a phone went off in the front rows during a particularly intense scene in which Berezovsky (Michael Stuhlbarg) threatens Abramovich (Luke Thallon). The offending idiot made no attempt to turn the phone off, and it continued for its full cycle of rings. Then, about 20 seconds after it mercifully went silent, the same phone rang again. Stuhlbarg, fully maintaining character, turned and pointed to the location and said menacingly, “Turn it off. Now.” The audience applauded at the end of the scene. It was so perfectly done that the couple behind me, discussing it at intermission, actually thought it was part of the play. Kudos to a brilliant actor for his brilliant handling.

Dan6 said: "During tonight’s performance, a phone went off in the front rows during a particularly intense scene in whichBerezovsky (Michael Stuhlbarg) threatensAbramovich (Luke Thallon). The offending idiot made no attempt to turn the phone off, and it continued for its full cycle of rings. Then, about 20 seconds after it mercifully went silent, the same phone rang again. Stuhlbarg, fullymaintaining character, turned and pointed to the location and said menacingly, “Turn it off. Now.” The audience applauded at the end of the scene. It was so perfectly done that the couple behind me, discussing it at intermission, actually thought it was part of the play. Kudos to a brilliant actor for hisbrilliant handling."

Yikes - how hard is it to turn off the cellphone.Glad they handled it brilliantly.



This reminds me of the old woman when I saw Patriots. She blocked the boxoffice line while checking her phone.The security guards FRIENDLY asked her to PLEASE move and not block the line, she stood there and ignored them. The only thing she did (after being repeatedly asked to not block the line) was say with in an i-don't-care tone "I hear you" , while continuing checking her phone



what a privileged trash.

Updated On: 5/9/24 at 08:56 AM