City Stories
Closed 2h 15m
City Stories
76%
76%
(38 Ratings)
Positive
71%
Mixed
21%
Negative
8%
Members say
Great acting, Original, Entertaining, Absorbing, Thought-provoking

About the Show

Part of the Brits Off Broadway fest, this musical exploration of love, magic, and the city of London features six stories performed in rotating rep.

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Critic Reviews (11)

The New York Times
May 17th, 2016

"The London that exists in the mind of James Phillips, who created these six short plays is a wondrous, languid place made of silky metaphor...For this seductive and consistently well-acted production, Theater B at 59E59 is set up cabaret-style, which helps it seem only logical that each play is introduced by a singer accompanying herself on the piano. Mr. Phillips’s imaginative stories are also punctuated with thought-provoking observations."
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BroadwayWorld
May 21st, 2016

"The poignant stories have just the right touch of fantasy that leaves a great deal to the imagination…The music in 'City Stories' is the ideal complement and the prose is enthralling. Experience these fascinating journeys into longing, love and life."
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Lighting & Sound America
May 17th, 2016

"James Phillips writes so beautifully that one wishes he would find more interesting things to write about. 'City Stories,' is filled with striking turns of phrase and observations that linger in the mind, but the stories themselves are marked by a whimsical, airy-fairy quality that can prove cloying…Gregory's lovely piano and vocal work consistently adds to the evening's introspective mood…It's strange to be so simultaneously seduced and irritated by a play."
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TheaterScene.net
May 25th, 2016

"Each of the actors in the ensemble is featured in at least two stories, and each play has been directed meticulously by the playwright, who made sure to spend time differentiating the roles his actors from one play to the other...A seamless production in many ways, Phillips’ latest is nothing short of ambitious, and Gregory’s music is the perfect companion. Thoughtful and engaging, the enchanting collection of English fairy tales known as 'City Stories' is a serendipitous affair."
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Stage Buddy
May 16th, 2016

“Phillips’ inspired collection of plays defies cliche...Some of the narration drags on too long, and the script favors telling over showing. When pivotal moments are just passively relayed, sometimes their full emotional impact doesn’t quite come through...But the heart of this production is its relatable humanity...Combined with the scintillating score and eloquent prose, ‘City Stories’ is worth experiencing.”
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Theatre's Leiter Side
May 18th, 2016

"If the back wall weren’t black but exposed bricks you might almost think you were in a comedy club, not an evening of contemplative, semi-dramatic, lightly comedic, romantically tinted, magically realistic, imaginatively metaphoric “Tales of Love and Magic in London,” as the evening’s subtitle puts it...Trimming five to seven minutes off each play would go a long way toward keeping everyone’s eyes open. Soothing your audience to sleep is no way to run a cabaret, even a theatre cabaret."
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Blog Critics
May 17th, 2016

"Every aspect of this production manifests the unities of drama like a well-crafted monument to creativity...The poetic writing, the distinctive characterizations, the heightened dialogue and the acute sensibilities of the actors who make us believe every important word they say is stark and real. This production is a must-see. I can’t rave about it enough and I am tempted to drop in another night."
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New York Theatre Review
May 15th, 2016

"The ensemble is full of strong and personable actors...The dreamlike quality that is an innate part of this piece also serves as a downfall from time to time with parts getting a little wordy and moments too drawn out. But more often than not the stories carry you to that enjoyable state of melancholy...The most beautiful aspect of the entire production, and its driving force, is the positively enchanting original music from Rosabella Gregory."
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