"A play whose extreme luridness is matched, and even trumped, by its intelligence, 'Mercury Fur' is sensational in pretty much every sense of the word...a profoundly moral play, in that it asks how we define morality under extreme duress. Such morality melds with and blurs the sentimental streak of this play, which has a tight structure and exactly echoing imagery that Ibsen might appreciate...The play’s stunningly indeterminate ending leaves you moved, muddled and gasping for air."
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"It helps to understand it as a very late and overwrought example of British 'in-yer-face' theater...'Mercury Fur,' first produced in England 10 years ago, feels doubly dated: Its depiction of drug-addled, amoral teens seems very ’90s, and Scott Elliott’s belated NYC premiere comes off as early Adam Rapp at his bleakest...Strictly for those who have never seen the 'in-yer-face' spectacles it strains desperately to outface."
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"In the tense but hollow “Mercury Fur,” the delicate insects have morphed into hallucinogenic drugs with Crayola-creative names and unsettling effects...In the end, Ridley’s bleak view — love child of 'A Clockwork Orange' and the pay-for-slay horror flick 'Hostel' — stirs but doesn’t challenge or illuminate. Director Scott Elliott’s production for the New Group has its moments and a very fine cast."
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"Straining mightily for shock value and somehow managing to be simultaneously intense and tedious, 'Mercury Fur' is bound to leave audiences sharply divided...There's certainly no fault to be found with director Scott Elliott's immersive production..By the time the nihilistic proceedings reach their apocalyptic conclusion, weariness has long since set in. This is a vision of the not-so-distant future that's as relentlessly monotonous as it is bleak."
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"A consistently engrossing thriller, a black comedy and a sad, sympathetic portrait of young adults trying to survive in a society gone the way of 'Lord of the Flies.' Much of the dialogue consists of characters' thinking back -- or at least attempting to think back -- on their former lives. Although this slows down the plotting, their memories add intrigue, alluding to what led to this new world order and hinting that some the character relationships are deeper than expected."
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"It's rare that a theatrical piece has the power to create real visceral dread and stomach-churning queasiness so compellingly and unapologetically. The New Group's chilling production does just that. Scott Elliott guides an extraordinary cast of young actors in a blazingly paced two hours (no intermission) filled with bizarre characters, unsettling imagery, and bloody violence...This production is unquestionably a raw, provocative, unforgettable theatrical experience worth seeing."
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"'Mercury Fur' sure has the look and feel of something edgy and controversial, but the text would be more aptly described as vague and tedious...The admirable actors do as much as can be expected with the material...The audience is seated on two sides with those up front sitting on old couches and living room chairs. The intention, no doubt, is to make patrons feel like they're silent guests at the party, but there's the added bonus that it's impossible for anyone to walk out without being noticed."
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"While 'Mercury Fur,' which has been tautly directed by Scott Elliott, is never dull, one watches with a kind of detachment that is surely the opposite of the playwright's intention. Simply put, the play tries too hard...In the end, 'Mercury Fur' feels like a series of shocks in search of a purpose. By the time it reaches its apocalyptic climax, you are likely to feel fatigued rather than riven with horror. That can't be what Ridley had in mind."
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