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Mauritius is a real country! Review by: justright:), Nov 22, 2007 |
Just for your information...
Mauritius is a real country!
An island in the Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Africa.
It is definitely not made-up!
(Just had to get that out of the way:)
Now everyone enjoy the show! |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date
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| 2 |
DRAMA, CRUDE LANGUAGE and a STD. Review by: RALPHIE, Nov 17, 2007 |
BROADWAY IS ALIVE, more or less. Our LITTLE MERMAID was closed by the strike, but I landed one of the last 3 pairs for MAURITIUS, a pretty good play at the Biltmore.
The write-up won't tell you what Maurituis means, but I will. It's the name of a made-up country off the coast of Africa which printed the two most valued collector's postage stamps in history. As you know, the story is about two sisters who inherit a stamp collection and ... read more it's an interesting web of problems presented here.
The play is involving but it isn't brilliant. If you see it, I think you'll enjoy it; but missing it wouldn't be serious. The best performer is Alison Pell, but the others are just fine. The playwrite relies heavily on swear words, mostly belted out by the girls, always a cheap crutch for inadequate writing. If I used any of these words here, Broadway Box would edit them out.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd rate the play a 7.5. But that's before the annoying after-play begging for the Actor's Fund AIDS Drive, as if Sexually Transmitted Disease is what we need to hear about after a show. But Broadway is devoted to it, it's the most PC disease right now; but it's just tasteless to rub it in the audience's face. Boo, hiss! |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| 3 |
Fine acting in disappointing story Review by: JW, Nov 17, 2007 |
The acting rises above the material in this play which appears to be derived from 1940's B-movie melodramas. Only Alison Pill is allowed to play a character of any substance, and she does so with flying colors, giving a sharply nuanced performance. The other actors, although performing ably, are handicapped with characters that are at best one-dimensional, at worst cartoonish in nature, and who are trapped in a play where logic often ... read more goes out the window. To add to the gaps in logic offered by motherwit below: Who in their right mind cavalierly walks around freely with an uninsured stamp collection purportedly worth millions of dollars? As for the scene with the attache case filled with wads of cash, I couldn't help but laugh thinking about that old "Honeymooners" episode with Kramden and Norton.
Despite the fine acting, I can't recommend this play where even the climax is disappointing. |
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My recommendation:
Don't go
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I saw this show with:
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| 4 |
“My Personal Property:” Who Really Owns/Deserves the Stamps? Reflections on “Mauritius” Review by: Beth A. Mandelbaum, Oct 29, 2007 |
In a recent New York Times article (Sunday September 23), “Mauritius’s” playwright Theresa Rebeck writes: “Betrayal and treason and poor behavior”…….” are common (themes/thread??) that unite her plays… She tells us that: “….The stamps mean something desperate to all of them” (that is, the characters of her play).
I found this play to be extremely compelling, because of the plot itself, and also because of what is untold and unsaid. ... read more It also provides some brilliant characterizations and extraordinarily fine performances. It is a fast moving thriller which I highly recommend.
“Mauritius” explores the story of two half sisters, Jackie and Mary, who had the same mother who died, leaving no will. Each claims ownership of a stamp album that had been in the family for a long time.
I am focusing on the two half sisters’ stories, though there is much intrigue, fun and fascination in their interactions with the stamp dealers.
The Women:
There is a tremendous difference is the appearance and character of the two half sisters. Mary is well dressed and well groomed. At least in the earlier scenes of the play, Jackie, who is far plainer in appearance, seems frail, worn out, very vulnerable, and somewhat desperate. She has just been through an exceeding strained and difficult period, with which she still has to deal. Jackie has been a long term care giver who seemingly single handedly took care of her mother, who has died of cancer. Jackie has ill will towards her sister who left the family years before, leaving her with the entire burden of caring for their sick mother who struggled with cancer until she died. Moreover, Jackie is in a dreadful financial situation as she has been left with her mother’s unpaid bills.
Mary appears rather selfish and cold throughout the play. She refuses to allow Jackie to talk about the things that have happened from the time that Mary left, which is when their mother became ill. Mary has clearly kept her distance, literally and figurately, from what has been happening. Jackie deeply resents that Mary left to go to boarding school and to develop her life and who now appears affluent and well educated. Mary never came to visit, with her main excuse being that she was “too busy,” but in a moment of vulnerability, does reveal that she “wasn’t comfortable” coming home while her mother was ill and dying.
Jackie claims that her mother gave the stamp album to her when she became ill because because”it might be worth something.” She tells is that her mother had to her that it had been in the family. Jackie also feels that the stamps are rightfully hers because of all that she has gone through with taking care of their mother She is really focused on selling them in order to solve her financial woes following her mother’s death, and that in doing this, she could be free of the past..
When Mary first sees the stamp album, she is surprised that this was actually among her mother’s possessions, as it belonged to her grandfather who, Mary points out that her grandfather was not Jackie’s grandfather. Mary claims the stamps to be hers because she feels that this is her inheritance—her grandfather’s heritage. Mary also feels that Jackie doesn’t know anything about the stamps, though we discover that Jackie has indeed done some research, and has learned that the 2 uncancelled Mauritius stamps might be sold for $6 million.
Mary tells us that she was very close to her grandfather and appears exceeding well informed about the stamps. She is totally opposed to Jackie’s fierce determination to sell the stamps as she knows that her grandfather wanted them to go to a museum. Jackie and Mary have a battle for the stamp book, which turns into an actual physical fight.
“Mauritius” is filled with all sorts of fascinating and surprising plot twists, turns and contradictions, which, if shared, would include way too many “spoilers.” I was v |
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| 5 |
'My Personal Property:" Who Owns The Stamps? Review by: Beth M., Oct 28, 2007 |
Reflections on "Mauritius" by Beth Mandelbaum
In a recent New York Times article (Sunday September 23), “Mauritius’s” playwright Theresa Rebeck writes: “Betrayal and treason and poor behavior”…….” are common (themes/thread??) that unite her plays… She tells us that: “….The stamps mean something desperate to all of them” (that is, the characters of her play).
I found this play to be extremely compelling, because of the plot ... read more itself, and also because of what is untold and unsaid. It also provides some brilliant characterizations and extraordinarily fine performances. It is a fast moving thriller which I highly recommend.
“Mauritius” explores the story of two half sisters, Jackie and Mary, who had the same mother who died, leaving no will. Each claims ownership of a stamp album that had been in the family for a long time.
I am focusing on the two half sisters’ stories, though there is much intrigue, fun and fascination in their interactions with the stamp dealers.
The Women:
There is a tremendous difference is the appearance and character of the two half sisters. Mary is well dressed and well groomed. At least in the earlier scenes of the play, Jackie, who is far plainer in appearance, seems frail, worn out, very vulnerable, and somewhat desperate. She has just been through an exceeding strained and difficult period, with which she still has to deal. Jackie has been a long term care giver who seemingly single handedly took care of her mother, who has died of cancer. Jackie has ill will towards her sister who left the family years before, leaving her with the entire burden of caring for their sick mother who struggled with cancer until she died. Moreover, Jackie is in a dreadful financial situation as she has been left with her mother’s unpaid bills.
Mary appears rather selfish and cold throughout the play. She refuses to allow Jackie to talk about the things that have happened from the time that Mary left, which is when their mother became ill. Mary has clearly kept her distance, literally and figurately, from what has been happening. Jackie deeply resents that Mary left to go to boarding school and to develop her life and who now appears affluent and well educated. Mary never came to visit, with her main excuse being that she was “too busy,” but in a moment of vulnerability, does reveal that she “wasn’t comfortable” coming home while her mother was ill and dying.
Jackie claims that her mother gave the stamp album to her when she became ill because because”it might be worth something.” She tells is that her mother had to her that it had been in the family. Jackie also feels that the stamps are rightfully hers because of all that she has gone through with taking care of their mother She is really focused on selling them in order to solve her financial woes following her mother’s death, and that in doing this, she could be free of the past..
When Mary first sees the stamp album, she is surprised that this was actually among her mother’s possessions, as it belonged to her grandfather who, Mary points out that her grandfather was not Jackie’s grandfather. Mary claims the stamps to be hers because she feels that this is her inheritance—her grandfather’s heritage. Mary also feels that Jackie doesn’t know anything about the stamps, though we discover that Jackie has indeed done some research, and has learned that the 2 uncancelled Mauritius stamps might be sold for $6 million.
Mary tells us that she was very close to her grandfather and appears exceeding well informed about the stamps. She is totally opposed to Jackie’s fierce determination to sell the stamps as she knows that her grandfather wanted them to go to a museum. Jackie and Mary have a battle for the stamp book, which turns into an actual physical fight.
“Mauritius” is filled with all sorts of fascinating and surprising plot twists, turns and contradictions, which, if s |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Seniors, Tourists, Adults
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| 6 |
Amazing - MUST SEE! A++++++++++ Review by: NYer, Oct 25, 2007 |
| Amazing show! Great entertainment! Must go Must go!! |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
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| 7 |
Spotty, Perhaps Under-Rehearsed, but not a waste of time Review by: motherwit, Oct 13, 2007 |
| I enjoyed it generally but felt it was under-rehearsed and that another week of rehearsal would have improved it immensely. That stage combat stuff did not work at all. And F Murray did a couple of "line-loops" in messing up one of his monologues. He especially seemed rigid and unbelievable in the fight sections. Dylan Baker should know better than to play so obviously just for laughs -- it skews the story and makes him look like an audience ... read more slut. The direction is questionable at times: why does no one move or gasp or cringe when a page is torn from the album? How could anyone who knows anything about the value of stamps let potato chips get anywhere NEAR this million dollar little slips of paper? I read a review comparing this to American Buffalo. I would call it derivative of PROOF as well -- all that struggling over a valuable object and the caretaker sister vs. the one that got out. However, the dialogue is good on the whole and the evening is held together by Cannavale as a likeable flim flam man. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Family
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Recommended for:
Business Assoc., Seniors, Adults
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| 8 |
GREAT CHEMISTRY GREAT STORY VERY ENTERTAINING Review by: CHRIS , Oct 7, 2007 |
| THIS SHOW IS VERY ENTERTAINING - YOU ARE SEEING SOME OF THE BEST ACTORS IN THE WORLD IN RE: TO THEATRE AND FILM IN THEIR PRIME WITH GREAT CHEMISTRY - I SAW THE 4TH PREVIEW SHOW AND THIS SHOW WAS ROCKING ALREADY - GOT A TICKET TO GO AGAIN - FOR DRAMA YOU CANNOT GET BETTER PERFORMANCES THAN THIS !!! GO SEE IT - FOR THAT MATTER ESPECIALLY GO SEE ANYTHING ALISON PILL AND BOBBY CANNAVALE DO MOVIES OR THEATRE |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Anyone
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| 9 |
MUST see!!! A++++ Review by: fab_fav, Oct 4, 2007 |
Mauritius was a great dramatic play!
The cast was EXCELLENT! The set was extremely well done. The first act was a little slow but it built up the plot for an incredible second act.
If you like drama - see this play now before it blows up and you can't get tickets. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Business Associate
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Recommended for:
Business Assoc., Seniors, Tourists
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| 10 |
Fast Paced Caper! Review by: Ted, Oct 2, 2007 |
| This play tries to be a little more than the bait and switch but doesn't succeed on that score. It nevertheless is a lot of fun with crackling dialogue and Bobby Cannavale a standout in a wonderful cast. Well directed and fast paced, this one is well worth the time and money! |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Romantic Date, Business Assoc., Seniors
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| 11 |
A Great Show Review by: Newyorker, Sep 30, 2007 |
| Saw Mautitius in preview today. It was wonderful. The script is engaging from early on and the acting is superb. It brings to the audience dilemmas both moral and legal regarding inheritence rights, sibling rivalry and the valuation of priceless treasures. I will be very surprised if it doesn't open to outstanding reviews. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Spouse/Partner
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Recommended for:
Business Assoc., Seniors, Tourists
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| 12 |
Mauritius is Incredible Review by: Agboy98, Sep 28, 2007 |
At first I was nervous about seeing a play about stamps, but after 10 minutes you are so engrossed in these flawed, and very human characters that you forget that it is a play about stamps.
Alison Pill is once again terrific. She's so talented and once again is young Broadway at it's best. Her performances are so skilled and well crafted.
F. Murray Abraham takes a role that could be very stereotypical and turns it into a study in ... read more great acting.
Katie Finneran, Dylan Baker, and Bobby Cannavale are all great as well.
I've not terribly familiar with Rebeck's work, but after seeing this, I'm curious to check out some more of her stuff.
Doug Hughes once again directs with finese, skill and a sense of grounded realism that is missing from many plays these days.
The play is incredibly entertaining. It draws you in and has some many twists and turns you actually are on the edge of your seat.
MTC has a great hit on their hands and the season is off to a promising start |
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My recommendation:
Make an effort to see
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Recommended for:
Business Assoc., Tourists, Adults
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| 13 |
Yes- good cast, but... Review by: J. Longchamps, Sep 27, 2007 |
| Great cast, a lot of energy- no where to go with it. A heck of a lot of screaming with no motive and no resolve. Go for free if you can. |
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| 14 |
Very good! Review by: Terry, Sep 27, 2007 |
This is a very good play.
Fantastic cast, lots of laughs, quite enjoyable. |
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My recommendation:
Go see if you get a chance
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I saw this show with:
Alone
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Recommended for:
Adults
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| 15 |
good god a real play Review by: phillytheaternut, Sep 26, 2007 |
| it's about time a real PLAY! opened on b'way. if you go over the list of offerings it's mostly fluff. entertainments that wash over you with no need to use your brain. so for the audience that needs a little more meat on the bone, this play will satisfy that need. good story, wonderful cast, and speedy direction will make this a night to remember. let's hope this is the beginning of a trend. |
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My recommendation:
must see!
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I saw this show with:
Business Associate
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Recommended for:
Adults
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