Directed by Neil Pepe, the new Off-Broadway revival of Kenneth Lonergans 2016 play Hold On To Me Darling' opened last week at Lucille Lortel Theatre. Starring Hollywood star Adam Driver (A Marriage Story, Ferrari, House of Gucci), the production follows world-famous Country Music star Strings McCrane (Driver) is devastated by the death of his mother, and begins to question if his fame and money are really making him happy. Hoping to find the answer, he packs up his bags and returns to his sleepy Tennessee hometown, in search of some deeper meaning to his life. As things turn out, this much-lauded homecoming isn't quite the soul-cleansing experience he was hoping for...

Find out the critic's thoughts below!

The Reviews

The Daily Beast:

"This sequence first feels rushed, and a too-late story-changing add-on. However, like all the other things that should not work in a long play, this finds its smooth right spot in the adept hands of Pepe and his very good cast, led by Driver. The actor masters the art of quiet bafflement and existential muddle. His furrowed brow is broken only by one extended moment of menace; when that happens, primed for a Driver explosion of some kind, you anticipate, ultimately in vain, the inevitable detonation. Instead, Hold on to Me Darling retains its subtle mischief, gentle unspooling, and dry execution right to the end, scoring a true original in the processin this role, Adam Driver doesn't go off."

Deadline:

"Still, not even Driver, with all his intensity, can compensate for the condescension that underscores so much of Darling. Do Tennesseans really go around calling each other Cousin This and Cousin That? Do exclamations like "Jesus Christ at the Tennessee State Fair!" and "Jesus Christ in a barbecue pit!" and "Jesus Christ in a downtown Memphis hair salon!" come tripping off their tongues? And if they do, can "Kiss Mah Grits" be far behind?"

"After all the Appalachian bons mot have been tossed and repetitive arguments laid to rest, we might be happy that Strings seems about to find some sort of healing but mostly we're just left wondering how something with so much hit potential can wind up as forgettable as any old B side."

The Guardian:

"Yet despite a few moments that seem underworked, Hold on to Me Darling does ultimately take its time, running 160 minutes, and does end powerfully, almost on a more instinctive level than a purely dramatic one. As with other Lonergan plays like This Is Our Youth and Lobby Hero, the live tonal shifts lend it an electricity that's hard to reproduce on film and Driver plugs straight in."

New York Theatre Guide:

"Pepe's production doesn't quite stick the landing, but it's a testament to Driver's performance, and that of the entire ace cast, that I was left wanting to keep going on Strings's journey, to know where he lands."

Theatermania

"The excellent cast bears some responsibility, perfectly executing the comic timing Lonergan's script requires while tying every action to real stakes."

"Hold On to Me Darling makes a comedic meal out of one of the great absurdities of American popular culture: While Strings plays the role of a lonesome cowboy with a six-string, he's actually a corporation with a host of attendants and shareholders. They all depend on him for their livelihoods, and otherwise deeply personal matters (the death of a parent, a sudden marriage, a quickie divorce) are fundamental business concerns. He couldn't let go if he tried, so best hold on for dear life."