Written by David Ives
Synopsis: Directed by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago), David Ives's New Jerusalem focuses on the expulsion of the legendary philosopher Baruch de Spinoza from the Jewish community of Amsterdam in the 17th century for his controversial ideas.
NEW YORK TIMES:
"But Mr. Ives’s humor has always mixed the cerebral with the silly, so his daring leap into metaphysics is not entirely anomalous. In “New Jerusalem” he occasionally indulges his relish of a good wisecrack — “There is no Jewish dogma,” Spinoza quips, “only bickering” — but for the most part he takes off the clown mask and serves up a straight drama full of heady talk about God and nature and the essence of things. The play is a lumpy but generally engrossing primer on Spinoza’s radical thinking, presented in the classic style of a courtroom drama and buoyed by a skilled cast."
Read the whole review HERE.
THEATERMANIA:
"At the center of the production, however, is Strong's superlative performance as Baruch. He imbues this philosopher with an instantly infectious dreaminess and impishness; at other times, he broods with an intensity that completely captures our attention. Much like New Jerusalem itself. "
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NEW YORK POST:
"But the fascinating nature of the subject matter and the intelligent manner with which the provocative debate is presented win out, resulting in an engrossing historical drama."
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VARIETY:
"It would be churlish to suggest that Ives stick to comedy -- his wordplay is usually so adroit and his setups so theatrical that "New Jerusalem" is more a disappointment than anything else. Ives' next play might well be terrific, and so might CSC's. This intersection of the two talents, though, is baffling."
Read the whole review HERE.
TIME OUT NY:
" Ives distills Spinoza’s views with cogency and sympathy; less felicitous are the mechanistic contrivances of the plot, which is burdened with many unpersuasive changes of heart, and the general air of anachronism that hangs over the proceedings. "
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NEW YORK SUN:
"The result is an odd mishmash, as though someone had tried to jazz up "The Crucible" by adding comic relief."
Read the whole review HERE.
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