It’s a warning that could strike fear in even the heartiest theatergoer.

Notices at the George Street Playhouse and on their website caution that The Pianist contains: haze; sound moments with gunshots, bombs, and explosions; contemplation of suicide; and actors reacting to murders that are not seen onstage. Also, swastikas on costumes—a tacit acknowledgement that the subject matter most of all will likely heighten our sense of fear and helpless rage. That subject is, of course, the Holocaust.

So, before going any further, let me allay any potential fears. All those elements are indeed present, but apart from the occasional surprising noise (not too loud), nothing here induces the raw shock and terror that the description implies.

And that’s part of the problem…

Click here to read the full post at Paterre Box.