Critics Panned the 2026 Revival of 'A Few Good Men' for Its Scale and Cast

Key points

• The revival opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on October 29, 2026, running for two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.
• Bradley Whitford stars as Colonel Nathan Jessep, replacing the original film star Jack Nicholson, while Tom Blyth plays the lead lawyer Daniel Kaffee.
• Director Michael Arden and designer Dane Laffrey utilized the entire depth of the large theater, creating a cavernous airplane hangar set that critics felt swallowed the dialogue.
• The production features a 21-person cast, including Lavel Schley in a Broadway debut as Harold Dawson and Krysta Rodriguez as Joanne Galloway.
• Critics noted that the play's 1989 dialogue and themes of military honor feel out of step with current political realities, making the revival feel like a nostalgic exercise rather than a relevant commentary.

Background

Aaron Sorkin framed this production as a new work rather than a standard revival, having 'polished' his 1989 script. This return coincided with the release of his film 'The Social Reckoning' in October 2026. Sorkin previously starred in the 1992 film adaptation as Daniel Kaffee, a role now taken by Tom Blyth, while Bradley Whitford, who played Kaffee in the 1992 film, now portrays the antagonist Jessep.

How outlets are covering it

The New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski called the play 'mediocre' and 'musty,' criticizing the predictable plot and Sorkin's repetitive dialogue. He praised Bradley Whitford's performance but found Tom Blyth 'underrehearsed' and lacking Broadway caliber. The Guardian's review agreed that the production was 'lurching and awkward,' arguing that the large theater space made the dialogue sound 'tinny' and that Whitford was 'direly miscast' as the menacing Jessep. Vulture's Sara Holdren argued that the play's core theme of institutional honor is no longer credible in the current political climate, describing the production as 'stately and unintentionally eerie' due to its misplaced nostalgia. All three outlets agreed that while some supporting actors like Nick Blaemire and Lavel Schley delivered strong performances, the overall production failed to generate the necessary intensity or relevance for a modern audience.

Why it matters

The critical reception highlights the challenges of reviving classic plays in a changed political landscape, particularly those dealing with military and institutional authority. It also underscores the difficulty of adapting fast-paced, dialogue-heavy scripts to large, non-intimate theater spaces without losing their impact. The mixed reviews suggest that while the talent is present, the production's scale and thematic relevance may limit its commercial and critical success.

What to watch

The production is scheduled to run at the Vivian Beaumont Theater until January 10, 2027. Audiences will continue to see the 21-person cast perform the 1989 script, with critics hoping that later performances may see improved delivery from the lead actors, particularly in the climactic trial scene.