‘Well, I’ll Let You Go’ Off-Broadway review — a tender and surprising portrait of grief
Read our review of Well, I’ll Let You Go off Broadway, an ensemble play starring Quincy Tyler Bernstine alongside Michael Chernus, Constance Shulman, and more.
Plays about death are often unrelentingly sad. Well, I’ll Let You Go is certainly somber, but it also inhabits a liminal space where grief and humor coexist. The play is thrilling — not just because it gradually reveals the details of a tragic, fatal event, inviting the audience to piece the mystery together — but also because it marks the professional playwriting debut of actor Bubba Weiler. And what a debut it is.
At the center of it all is Quincy Tyler Bernstine as Maggie, a newly widowed woman reeling from the sudden loss of Marv, her husband of 25 years. Bernstine embodies grief with aching precision, with hollow expressions and weighted movements, as if carrying unbearable sadness. I wanted to reach out and hug her.
A narrator (played by Michael Chernus) sets the scenes and gives voice to the characters’ inner thoughts — the memories, insights, and quiet confessions. It’s one of the most effective uses of a narrator onstage and provides a vehicle for Weiler’s beautiful prose, like this line: “Marv was raised in the parish and the community was important to him: It made him feel organized, tucked into a thing bigger than himself, like a small spoon in its right drawer.”
The play unfolds through a series of one-on-one scenes between Maggie and various relatives and mourners, including a standout visit from funeral parlor employee Joanie, played with delight by Constance Shulman. She proudly displays the parlor’s potpourri and even brings a carpet swatch so Maggie can choose funeral shoes that won’t clash.
The decidedly minimal set, designed by Frank J. Oliva, resembles a rehearsal studio: A metal card table stands in for the circular glass-top table described by the narrator, and a vacant space marks where a piano should be. It’s as if grief has blurred the edges of reality, and familiar things are not quite clear.
Director Jack Serio skillfully guides the production through the hazy grief and the fragments in the story surrounding Marv’s unfortunate death. At the production I attended, there was an audible gasp when a truth was uncovered.
Well, I’ll Let You Go summary
Set in an unnamed Midwestern town, Well, I’ll Let You Go is a portrait of a grieving widow. Maggie's husband of 25 years, Marv, died in a tragic accident, and she is inundated with church casseroles and sympathy bouquets. But she’s desperate for answers about the circumstances of his death. In town, rumors swirl, with some casting Marv as a hero deserving of a statue and street name in his honor, while others whisper less flattering theories.
What to expect at Well, I’ll Let You Go
Well, I’ll Let You Go runs 100 minutes without intermission. The performance takes place at Brooklyn’s Irondale Center for Theatre, housed inside the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church. The 19th-century church’s peeling paint and walls featuring patron saints lend themselves to the small-town church community depicted in the play.
It is staged in a runway configuration, with two rows of audience members facing each other on either side of the action. In keeping with the play’s minimal aesthetic, the seating consists of metal folding chairs, and only the front row gets cushions. After the performance I attended, a few audience members jokingly lamented sore behinds and wished they’d brought something to sit on, so pack your bag accordingly.
What audiences are saying about Well, I’ll Let You Go
In the lead-up to the show's opening, audiences took to social media platforms to praise the cast and the play's engaging script, and inform others about the seating.
- “I had bought a ticket before the cast was announced, and when they announced it, I was astounded at the level of talent that has been gathered together for this. Make no mistake, everyone in it is bringing it, and the piece is moving and emotional.” Reddit user u/cutandcover
- “It took some time, but I was hooked into the story. Note row B folding chairs do not have cushions lol.” - Reddit user u/cheerylimeade
- “Saw this last week and absolutely loved it! The acting was incredible and I was also hooked into the story. Definitely recommend checking this one out.” - Reddit user @Rare-Examination-691
- “I absolutely adored this show! Definitely a must see. Prepare to cry. Can attest to the folding chairs and 2 hours no intermission being manageable because the performances are so damn compelling. Big big fan!!!!” - Reddit user u/emmajaynesings
- “Y’all better run to see this.” - Instagram user @lukegilmore_
- “[...] One of the most captivating productions I have ever seen. Do NOT miss this.” - Instagram user @thomasdellamonica
Who should see Well, I’ll Let You Go
- For theatregoers interested in discovering new voices, playwright Bubba Weiler is one to watch. Best known as an actor, his New York stage credits include Swing State, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Dead Poet’s Society.
- Those who enjoy the plays of Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) will likely enjoy this play. Well, I’ll Let You Go is set in a small town, features ordinary people, and grapples with faith.
- Theatregoers who enjoy untangling mysteries will find this play especially compelling. Details about Marv’s death are slowly revealed, inviting the audience to start piecing things together.
- TV watchers will delight in seeing familiar faces onstage. Cast members include Michael Chernus of Severance and Constance Shulman of Orange Is the New Black.
Learn more about Well, I’ll Let You Go off Broadway
The somber play Well, I’ll Let You Go is both an intimate portrait of a grieving woman and a gripping drama with surprising reveals.
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