“The exchanges have the vigorous back-and-forth zing of a sweaty squash match, not to mention a stinging relevance to so much of what's been happening for years now in American social, cultural and political discourse. It's hard to imagine this pithy play ever being more timely or more ideally cast, and the dynamic of the three actors is thrilling to watch...As riveting as Jones and Cannavale are, however, the real revelation here is Radcliffe...You can’t take your eyes off him.”
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“The finesse of Silverman’s direction and the polished comic timing of the three glorious stars onstage...guarantee a helluva good time...Pedantic, irritating, and a royal Pain...Radcliffe is very funny...Cannavale is laugh-out-loud funny...And Jones is delightful...The exaggerated fact checking in this saga took seven years...The result is both valid and tiresome. You are left with the uneasy impression that the three playwrights are still fact-checking each other.”
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“’Lifespan of a Fact’s’ confrontation boils down in...Silverman’s lucidly handled, 90-minute production to a test of wills and three distinct perspectives articulated by a trio of hardheaded characters...The play would well have been a yawner had not these characters all been generously and sympathetically inhabited. Jones couldn’t be better...And Radcliffe provides the canny pivotal performance that demonstrates why the world needs sticklers.”
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“They’re Broadway’s new odd couple: an eager-beaver fact-checker and an arrogant author...That’s the setup for ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’, the so-so sitcom...The verbal volleys can be fun, but some of the action seems silly and contrived...Director Leigh Silverman’s production zips along as it moves from glossy office to humble home. Better still are the actors, all of whom shine."
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“An intriguing story, and three fine, famous actors to play it. But the outcome never feels quite as consequential as it should, possibly because it isn’t actually that ambiguous...The ending comes on with surprising emotional resonance, though the impact of its final moments mostly serves to remind theatergoers that the rest of ‘Lifespan’ could have used another, altruistic kind of fiction: more plot — and true emotional detail — than its bare facts can provide. "
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“A feisty but undercooked new play...While the production is lively and centered on three great actors fighting it out, the play itself is rather thin and the characters are all one-dimensional...The 90-minute play does not so much fizzle out in the end, rather it concludes without a resolution. But for a good deal of time before that, the audience’s attention is maintained by the trio’s high energy and the significant issues that they confront.”
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“A highly provocative play about the not-so-certain nature of truth...A very tight little play — actually more of a dialectic than a drama...A riveting 90 minutes. Silverman directs with a sharp eye, encouraging her excellent actors to flesh out the roles with natural humor and nuance...Radcliffe plays the unrelenting noodge to perfection...I can't exactly say "The Lifespan of a Fact" is a great play, but it is an important one. ”
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“The new play is more of an adrenaline rush than MMA — and far more consequential. At stake is the very notion of the truth as it applies to the news...Not only is this fight worth your attention, it ought to be essential viewing for every citizen in a free society...It's thrilling to watch these two acting titans throw down...Hugely entertaining and insightful...Silverman deftly infuses the inherent drama of this piece with ample comedy...Contains a surprising amount of depth for a 90-minute play.”
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