"Anna D. Shapiro’s shrewd, pitch-perfect staging and the hugely charismatic cast make the whole affair both immensely pleasurable and increasingly disturbing...So the play works both as a political satire/PC PSA and also as a philosophical study of human limitations. It does both brilliantly because Lee is, in fact, one of our boldest living playwrights...For a hard, clinical look at mediocrity, 'Straight White Men' is thrillingly great."
Read more

"The play examines toxic masculinity and white male privilege while making you disappointed that modern men still haven’t harnessed their strength in a positive movement the way women have with feminism. The dysfunction in 'Straight White Men' is relatable...At times it feels like each is waiting his turn for the next line they need to nail, but overall the cast delivers magnetic and profound performances, sandwiching harsh truths between jokes and even some adorable dance moves."
Read more

"A freewheeling and thoughtful but underwhelming family comedy...Regardless of what one may think of 'Straight White Men' and its postmodern, often puzzling trappings, it marks a major historic milestone as the first play by an Asian-American woman to be produced on Broadway...There is no character development or plot, besides a handful of guys sitting around on a couch."
Read more

"But it's really not until deep in the 90-minute play that we get to the crux of the matter. Matt's lack of ambition worries his siblings. To them, straight white men aren't supposed to be aimless, and they ultimately see him as a loser. Food for thought certainly, but it's really not all that clear what Lee is trying to say with the play. It's all immeasurably enhanced by Second Stage's first class production helmed by Anna D. Shapiro."
Read more

"'Straight White Men' isn't as class-blind as I initially thought. Rather, it is a hard look at the underlying assumptions of the American upper-middle class that disproportionately makes up Broadway audiences...If viewers really watch and listen, even the queerest, brownest, and femalest audience members might find they have more in common with straight white men than they would care to admit."
Read more

“Part of the play's cleverness was the many ways the piece could be taken...This playful new version is faster, funnier and played within a specific context with a far more focused point of view...To describe these four characters, ‘liberal; would be a good choice, although, it's their contrasting degrees of liberal thinking and actions that fuel the proceedings...The definition of success as defined by the privileged class for the privilege class, is where ‘Straight White Men’ becomes volatile.”
Read more

"Feels delightfully accurate, thanks to a first-rate cast and director Anna D. Shapiro's long-proven skill at handling ensembles...It offers its criticism without much bite...The play is stranded between genres. Lee is working in a largely naturalistic mode, but she doesn't seem interested enough in the characters to give them the shading or contradictory qualities that would make them seem real: They exist only to prove a point -- and that they don't do strongly enough."
Read more

"A beautifully acted, richly layered production that unfolds in both familiar and surprisingly subtle ways...On the surface, it is an often funny examination of familial relationships, gender roles, and white privilege within a warm and loving family...Underneath it gently offers a perspective that may challenge your assumptions...The overall performances, the direction, and the very smart and original writing make 'Straight White Men' a sure-fire bet and a winner for Second Stage."
Read more