When a couple crashes their car in the mountains, they seek shelter in an isolated cabin. Its inhabitants, though somewhat unusual, are eager to make their guests feel right at home. But as the blizzard outside rages on and one night turns into several, the couple becomes less and less sure of what's true—about their hosts, themselves, and why that sound in the walls keeps getting louder.
As always, director Joe Mantello has gotten uniformly superb performances from everyone on stage; the cast gets a gold star for their commitment to this uneven material. On the downside, Mantello could pick up the pacing a little, the play often seems to be limping (just like Henry) to its conclusion as we impatiently wait for all to be revealed. And here’s the biggest rub: when everything is “explained,” you might still be unsure of what you just saw. That’s sadly not by design, but because Holloway’s plot ultimately turns out to be a little too complicated for its own good. Moreover, Holloway pays too much attention to the paranormal and not enough to the play’s psychological underpinnings; only if you have a lot of time to reflect on what you’ve seen can you really understand what the work is ultimately about.
One thing’s for sure about the first show of the 2023-24 Broadway season: Grey House has curb appeal. Actress Laurie Metcalf and director Joe Mantello each lend Tony Award-winning luster to the listing at the Lyceum Theatre. Moreover, haunted-house tales are rare commodities on stage, so that also counts as a clear credit. From there, things turn murkier with Chicago-based playwright Levi Holloway’s story set in a remote cabin that moans, groans, and features the freakiest refrigerator since a demon moved into one in Ghostbusters. The unspoken come-on of Grey House is: Be afraid, be very afraid. Yes, please! Although the 110-minute production oozes mystery and a ghostly vibe, it doesn’t deliver intense shivers. It’s too vague to stir psychological chills or, for that matter, good old-fashioned goosebumps. It’s as much a head-scratcher as it is a hair-raiser.
General Rush
Price: $35
Where: Lyceum Theatre box office
When: Rush tickets are available in person, day of performance when the box office opens (10am - Mon through Sat & 12pm on Sundays starting May 28).
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Determined at the discretion of the box office. Subject to daily availability.
Digital Lottery
Price: $43 (+ $2 facility fee + $5 service charge)
Where: greyhouselottery.com
When: Patrons may enter thel ottery from 12am to 3pm one day before the performance.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to availability.
2023 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play | Natasha Katz |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play | Scott Pask |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design of a Play | Tom Gibbons |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Sound Design (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Tom Gibbons |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Play | Natasha Katz |
2024 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Play | Tom Gibbons |
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