Shining City
Closed 1h 40m
Shining City
77%
77%
(30 Ratings)
Positive
80%
Mixed
17%
Negative
3%
Members say
Absorbing, Great acting, Great writing, Intelligent, Slow

About the Show

Two-time Tony winner Matthew Broderick stars in the Irish Repertory Theatre's revival of Conor McPherson's psychological thriller about a man plagued by visions of his dead wife's ghost.

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Critic Reviews (22)

The New York Times
June 9th, 2016

"A great play being given an exemplary revival…Mr. Broderick turns in his most assured and affecting stage performance in years…It lacks the gooseflesh-raising quotient of earlier versions of the show I’ve seen…But in swapping dank shadows for a warming clarity, Mr. O’Reilly illuminates the poetic precision of Mr. McPherson’s accomplishment here and makes you realize anew why this Irish playwright is one of the finest dramatists writing in English."
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Time Out New York
June 9th, 2016

"Broderick turns in a delicate, credible performance as John, a widower who has started seeing his wife’s ghost around the house...Director Ciarán O’Reilly’s production is lucid, tight and fluid, with Carter quietly terrific in a tricky role...A rich, unforgettable piece about projection and transference—both in the psychoanalytic and metaphysical sense—'Shining City' still casts a brilliant light."
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New York Daily News
June 9th, 2016

"Four Dubliners face the living and the dread in this fine-tuned revival of McPherson’s moody modern ghost story. Broderick delivers star power and a moving performance as John, a guilt-racked widow. Carter anchors the drama as Ian, a troubled therapist juggling John, a girlfriend (Dwan) and a scruffy stranger (Russell). The prospect of being alone is scarier than any specter in the show."
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The Hollywood Reporter
June 9th, 2016

"The drama is an actors' showcase, and it's here that the production falls short…Broderick never effectively conveys John's truly tortured soul, coming across as vaguely uncomfortable rather than anguished…Carter is much more effective as the similarly emotionally wounded therapist…The play's startling final moment packs as much of a punch as ever. But it's unlikely you'll come away from this 'Shining City' feeling nearly as haunted as you're supposed to feel."
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Theatermania
June 9th, 2016

"The play could use a renovation…Director Ciarán O'Reilly attempts to break up this glacier of text by having Broderick inexplicably stand up and move behind the couch at certain moments—it doesn't help. A fundamental problem remains: Hearing about other people's problems is so much less interesting than seeing them played out. Unfortunately, 'Shining City' is all tell and no show...The words are not enough to capture our imaginations, or even our full attention."
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Lighting & Sound America
June 10th, 2016

"If Broderick's stunningly seamless work seemingly dominates the evening, it is only the half of it...Under O'Reilly's sure-handed direction, the entire cast delivers superbly...It's exciting to see Irish Rep back in the business of presenting a production as revelatory as this. McPherson has been produced by several of New York's top theatre companies, but his work never shines so brightly as when brought to life by this troupe."
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Talkin' Broadway
June 9th, 2016

"The humanity beneath that spooky, ethereal shell is what makes the play work in the ways that matter most, and why, when treated with clear-eyed sensitivity, it's tough to screw up...All that stops this mounting from being as searingly effective as the memory-etching 2006 Broadway production is one partial, but crucial, case of miscasting...It's an intricate, messily elegant evening that ranks among McPherson's best...The weak link, sadly, is Broderick, though it's not for lack of trying."
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CurtainUp
June 9th, 2016

"It's a sad and often funny group portrait of isolation, guilt and despair...Ciarán O'Reilly's tautly directed production retains its rich Celtic flavor and seamless blends the script's humor and sadness…It's Broderick's best performance in years…Complementary as John and Ian's stories are it's their different tonality that makes 'Shining City' such a good play. While John's revelations have many comical elements, all played to the hilt by Broderick, Ian's problems are much more complex."
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