Theater Thursday - Appropriate

We were given complimentary tickets to Appropriate for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Appropriate 

Where: Hayes Theatre

              240 W. 44th St.

              New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Age 16 and Up

When: Through March 3, 2024

Appropriate is a very dark comedy so much so that sometimes you don't know whether to laugh or cry. It deals with an extremely dysfunctional family coming together to prepare their late father's house for sale when they discover some dark hidden secrets. The secrets revealed are so shocking that they may actually trigger some audience members. We would not recommend this show for anyone who is triggered by racism, anti-semitism, and/or pedophilia or for anyone under 16.

The oldest sister, Toni adores her late father to the point where she is unwilling to take him off the pedestal she has placed him on in her mind even when it becomes pretty clear that he is not the paragon of virtue that she seems to think he was. She is perhaps not the best judge of good character anyway as she acts and speaks without regard for others' feelings, and she can be quite vicious. She is played with a fierce determination and an air of haughtiness by Sarah Paulson. 

Youngest brother, Franz, is a complete mess with a background that includes possible pedophilia. He has been estranged from the family but has returned allegedly to make amends. However, it is unclear if this is really what he is interested in or if he is just trying to please his flower child girlfriend who may or may not have ulterior motives of her own. He is played with puppy dog earnestness by Michael Esper.

Middle child, Bo, at first seems like the ethical center of this family, but he later makes a decision that is morally questionable even if it is driven by his desire to make sure that his family (his wife and kids, not his siblings) are well provided for.  He is played with a kind of stoicism s by Corey Stoll.

All in all, it is a struggle to decide who to like in this family, and quite often it seems like the answer is not any of them. Despite this the show is riveting and you just can't look away from this trainwreck of a family. The shocking ending does provide some degree of satisfaction and a sense that there is balance in the universe.

And that's our view. For more about Appropriate, or to purchase tickets, visit 2st.com/shows/appropriate

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Photo credits:

All Appropriate production photos by Joan Marcus

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms.
If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us here, and we will look into the matter.