Cult of Love
Opening Night: December 12, 2024
Theater: Helen Hayes Theatre
Website: 2st.com
It’s the holiday season for the Dahl family! The four adult children return to their childhood home with partners in tow. The Dahl traditions include singing carols in harmony at the drop of a hat, but the gathering is anything but harmonious. Old conflicts resurface, new issues battled, and dinner is taking absolutely forever to be served. Will the love the Dahls have for each other be enough to get them through, or will this be their last Christmas together?
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December 12, 2024
Still, if “Cult of Love” sometimes has the texture of television — Headland was a creator of the Netflix series “Russian Doll” — that’s no insult these days, and Cullman consistently keeps the story stage-worthy through expert pacing and movement.
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December 12, 2024
There is so much good and sharp in “Cult of Love” — its treatment of grown siblings reckoning with their parents, its tactical observations about how in-laws fit into a family unit — that its slack moments rankle somewhat.
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December 12, 2024
It’s a gimmick that almost works, mostly due to a cast that knows how to hit comedic high notes on beat. But with 10 characters and a 100-minute run time that’s nowhere near long enough to dig into what makes these people tick, Cult of Love too often feels like an empty gift box.
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December 12, 2024
With great wit and gently gestured thematic breadth, it tackles the country’s thrall to its righteous, morally dubious origins through the contentious return of a deeply Christian Connecticut household’s offspring on Christmas Eve.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
It’s hard to find a standout when the onstage chemistry is so comfortable, the comedic timing nailed, the emotional breaks so consistently evocative. It all moves with ease, so synched that it becomes apparent whose star is truly shining: that of writer Leslye Headland and director Trip Cullman.
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December 12, 2024
A Second Stage Theater production steered like a fast-moving sleigh by director Trip Cullman, Cult Of Love boasts an excellent cast (headed by Zachary Quinto, Mare Winningham, David Rasche and, in an impressive Broadway debut, Star Wars: The Acolyte’s Rebecca Henderson) that pulls off a familiar scenario with unexpected freshness.
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December 12, 2024
Whether singing or sniping or merely stewing, these ten actors don’t hit a false note, and they blend together seamlessly. It’s ensemble acting at a shared high level. They do themselves proud.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
Headland can take pride in her smarts, sensitivity, and sharp wit. But she juggles too many hot topics – love, religion, homophobia, sibling rivalry, aging parents, mental illness, addiction, dementia, and denial — without tying up the threads.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
As we’re all agonizing over our own impending holiday family gatherings, there’s nothing more comforting than watching other people’s messed-up relatives tear each other to pieces, especially when there’s a prescription painkiller involved.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
Excellent performances by a well-meshed ensemble and apt design aspects enhance the entertainment value of the play, which in spite of its often sharp dialogue seems underwritten in places.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
Cult of Love is designated to represent the sin of pride, yet it’s a work to be proud of, nonetheless.
READ THE REVIEWDecember 12, 2024
This genre at its best can generate shattering moments and fresh insights, and I kept on expecting “Cult of Love” to deliver them. This is thanks to the one undeniable strength of the production: the fine ensemble acting of the cast, six of whose ten members are making their Broadway debuts.
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