★★★☆☆ A French antique is smartly refinished by David Ives, but gets tarnished by its express delivery
Sommers
The Seafarer: Matthew Broderick Plays a Wicked Game of Cards
★★★★☆ A diabolical visitor encounters amazing grace in Conor McPherson’s supernatural Irish drama
Mlima’s Tale: Lynn Nottage Incarnates the Ivory Trade with Cruel Irony
★★★★☆ An imaginative quasi-documentary sees an elephant’s precious tusks pass through a chain of ivory traffickers
Carousel: A Real Nice Clambake That’s Nicer to Hear Than See
★★★★☆ The bittersweet Rodgers & Hammerstein classic sounds far lovelier than it looks
Miss You Like Hell: Can a Latina Mom Fight Deportation?
★★★☆☆ An incandescent Daphne Rubin-Vega blazes through a topical new musical at The Public
This Flat Earth: A School Shooting Raises Sad Questions
★★☆☆☆ A sorrowful teen survivor wonders: “So why don’t the grown-ups just fix it?”
Lobby Hero: Lonergan’s Law and Disorder Looks Timely
★★★★☆ Chris Evans and Michael Cera face off in a provocative study of shady behavior at the newly redone Hayes Theater
The Stone Witch: Dan Lauria Depicts a Grumpy Genius
★☆☆☆☆ Dan Lauria depicts an arrogant artist in a tedious mix of shallow dramatics and fanciful visuals.
Harry Clarke: Billy Crudup Charms as a Misleading Man
★★★★☆ Billy Crudup smoothly portrays a seductive rogue and his many admirers in a new solo play.
Later Life: A.R. Gurney Offers a Brief Re-Encounter
★★★☆☆ In Later Life, A.R. Gurney paints a Jamesian portrait of a gentleman’s second chance at true love.