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Critics Split on Michelle Williams–Led Anna Christie at St. Ann’s Warehouse

Early notices highlight Brian d’Arcy James and evocative design choices even as several reviews question the lead casting and the production’s showy staging.

Overview

  • Reviews published Dec. 14–15 assess Thomas Kail’s Off-Broadway revival following its Dec. 11 opening, with the run scheduled through Feb. 1, 2026 in Brooklyn.
  • Multiple critics single out Brian d’Arcy James’s Chris as the production’s emotional anchor, with Mare Winningham noted for a vivid early cameo as Marthy.
  • Several outlets describe Michelle Williams as uneven or miscast for O’Neill’s 20-year-old heroine, and cite wavering dialects and thick accents that obscure dialogue.
  • The design-forward approach—fog effects, a suspended metal beam, set changes by the ensemble, and Nicholas Britell’s original score—earns mixed marks as atmospheric yet often distracting, with some sightline issues reported on the thrust stage.
  • Preview performances encountered technical hiccups, including a sound delay and bottles falling from a wall feature, which were addressed before opening; critics also stress the play’s dated language and moral framing and note its infrequent revivals.