"I have rarely seen a play that so effectively embodies the way external forces — in this case, immigration policies in the United States — distort the inner lives of actual humans."
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"Five stars!...Everything works in tandem in New York Theatre Workshop’s first play of the season. This play forces its audience to ask themselves the necessary questions about equality and sacrifice, and how far they would go to feel safe."
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"A testament to theater's ability to give voice to the voiceless in deeply honest, profoundly moving ways. You're not likely to see a more powerful 100 minutes than this."
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Sanctuary City is a continuously gripping affair, with much to say about the shameful consequences of our immigration policies, and it would be a mistake to miss it. But be prepared for a major stylistic switch that -- in a small, but significant, way -- undermines the play's impact.
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"From scene to scene in the first section and in the lengthier closing sections, the actors raise playwright Majok to the heights she intends."
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"At a time of profound polarization on this delicate issue, Majok has given us something that transcends politics as only the best and most humane art can."
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"It is a daring dramatic ploy and not entirely successful. The direction and acting is first-rate and very taut but it cannot cover for the feeling that we are being given two separate plays, made more obvious by the lack of an intermission between the halves."
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Sanctuary City is not merely a memory play, but a snapshot of a time in America when safety was lost In Sanctuary City, Martyna Majok’s characters are searching for this safety – in country; in home; in family; in love; in each other.
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