New York

Notes on The Niceties at McCarter Theatre Center

Eleanor Burgess’s thought-provoking, intelligent play was a balm to my wounded soul.

Jez Butterworth’s epochal play provokes feelings of exhilaration and mourning.

Bryan Cranston’s brilliant performance aside, this adaptation proves even more problematic than the original film.

This noisy but empty show is more like a Wild Goose Chase.

Not one of these wan, trivial one-acts proves worth producing.

But director Austin Pendleton’s production too often makes this world grotesque.

If you were hoping for some new insight into this fascinating chapter of theater history, ‘tis not to be.

In 90 understated minutes, Tracy Letts sums up a life.

The author has tweaked her intriguing, elliptical script in problematic ways.

In this intriguingly spare production, Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke remains a puzzler.