THE TESTAMENT OF MARY reviews

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 10:58pm

Here's what we've got so far...

AP is mixed: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b49a2ec9b4144608855a1317ebb52f1b/US--Theater-Review-The-Testament-of-Mary

NY Mag is positive: http://www.vulture.com/2013/04/theater-review-the-testament-of-mary.html?mid=googlenews

AM NY is positive with three out of four stars: http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/theater-review-the-testament-of-mary-3-stars-1.5121076

Hollywood Reporter is positive: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/testament-mary-theater-review-443968?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Fnews+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Top+Stories%29

NY Times is mixed to negative: http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/theater/reviews/the-testament-of-mary-at-the-walter-kerr-theater.html?ref=theater&_r=0

Variety is positive: http://variety.com/2013/legit/reviews/the-testament-of-mary-1200407773/

Time Out NY is positive with four out of five stars: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-testament-of-mary

Bloomberg is a rave with five out of five stars: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/virgin-mary-takes-on-vultures-human-feathered-review.html

LA Times is positive: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-testament-of-mary-review-20130423,0,2796051.story

USA Today is positive with three out of four stars: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2013/04/22/broadway-review-the-testament-of-mary/2101767/

Backstage is mixed to negative with a C-: http://www.backstage.com/review/ny-theater/broadway/the-testament-of-mary-colm-toibin-fiona-shaw-deborah-warner/

Newsday is positive: http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/theater/testament-of-mary-review-fiona-shaw-shines-in-audacious-drama-1.5115487

Theatermania is negative: http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/04-2013/the-testament-of-mary_64976.html

Wall St. Journal is negative: http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-217941/

NY Post is positive with three out of four stars: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/testament_to_greatness_tODzfnXSht3HiB68uimC6H?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Theater Updated On: 4/22/13 at 10:58 PM

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:06pm

wow, interesting mix of reviews.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:25pm

Wow. That kind of reflects my own feelings about the show. I loved it when I saw it but thinking back I feel like it was just a lot of yelling.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:28pm

I would say Brantley was more mixed than negative. It's clear that his issue was with the direction. It wasn't what he was expecting. But yes, I don't see this getting any nominations other than Fiona and POSSIBLY sound design.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:37pm

Brantley's review is strange. He says a lot without... well, saying a lot.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:42pm

Brantley was very disappointed.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/22/13 at 11:48pm

Lots of stupid protesters who don't seem to understand that it's a play.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 12:02pm

NY Daily News is positive with four out of five stars: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/theater-review-testament-mary-article-1.1324310

NJ Newsroom is positive: http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/theater/204225221_Theater_review___The_Testament_of_Mary_.html?c=y&page=2

[aaronb]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 6:07pm

"There is enough in Colm Tóibín’s novella and subsequent play The Testament of Mary to set a biblical literalist’s head spinning. It is the story of Mary (Fiona Shaw), the mother of Christ, which she relates after her son’s death. She has abandoned Judaism and only attends pagan temples, she refers to the apostles as 'misfits' and claims that her version of events 'does not stretch to whatever limits [they have] ordained.' She laughs off the Immaculate Conception, calls Jesus’ aphorisms 'high flown talk and riddles,' and admits that, during the crucifixion, 'my first instinct was to flee and it was also my last instinct' because 'the pain was his and not mine'—meaning that the defining image of the pietà is, in this rendering, religious revisionism. But most importantly (and blasphemously), Mary declares with great conviction, 'It was not worth it.'

"And yet, these out of context quotations do not do justice to the tone of Mr. Tóibín’s work. The Testament of Mary is a gorgeous, tender piece of prose, one that recalls the brilliant restraint of a novelist like Marilynne Robinson."
My review of THE TESTAMENT OF MARY

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 10:17pm

The set was one big mess

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 4/29/13 at 10:34pm

My god, I fell for this play. It took some time, and yes, Deborah Warner's direction was a little too excited, but ultimatly Shaw's riveting performance and Toibin's thoughtful and measured script made for one of the few bright lights of the season. Yes, the production would have benefitted from some restraint, but so many incredible tableaus throughout made up for those shortcomings.