Entertainment · Books & Arts · 1 hr ago
Broadway revival of Other Desert Cities draws mixed reviews
Jon Robin Baitz’s family drama Other Desert Cities has returned to Broadway in a new revival.
It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus in her Broadway debut, alongside Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe.
The play is set in Palm Springs in 2004, where a family’s political differences deepen when daughter Brooke plans to publish a memoir.
Her book revisits the death of her brother Henry, whose suicide followed a bombing linked to a left-wing radical group.
The family’s buried grief and political divisions drive the conflict, against the backdrop of a country unsettled by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Critics gave the production mixed assessments: some found its acting and pacing uneven, while another saw the play as relevant to today’s divisions.
The revival is directed by John Benjamin Hickey and is playing at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre.
The Broadway revival of Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe, has drawn mixed reviews.
The production opened at the Hudson Theatre, with critics divided over its performances and whether the play feels relevant today.
The play follows the politically divided Wyeth family as daughter Brooke plans to publish a memoir about the family’s dead son.
Several reviewers praised Louis-Dreyfus’s comic performance, while others criticized the cast’s chemistry, uneven acting or the revival’s dramatic momentum.
The revival is directed by John Benjamin Hickey and is the first revival of the play.
- Who
- The revival stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe.
- What
- Jon Robin Baitz’s Other Desert Cities has returned to Broadway in a revival that has received mixed reviews.
- When
- It opened on Sunday; the articles were published on October 19, 2026.
- Where
- The production opened at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway.
- Why
- The play centers on family conflict after daughter Brooke plans to publish a memoir about her family’s past.
Critics praising the revival
Critics faulting the revival
Performance
Critics praising the revival
Deadline praised Louis-Dreyfus’s thoughtful interpretation and comic appeal.
Critics faulting the revival
The Independent said the cast lacked chemistry and that performances felt mismatched.
Relevance
Critics praising the revival
Deadline said the play seemed vital in a politically and socially divided environment.
Critics faulting the revival
The Hollywood Reporter’s headline said the production failed to make the play relevant again.
Dramatic execution
Critics praising the revival
TheWrap praised Louis-Dreyfus’s comic performance and said the play’s core tragedy worked with her interpretation.
Critics faulting the revival
The Independent criticized the direction’s lack of momentum and awkward pauses and deliveries.
The play is set during a Wyeth family reunion in Palm Springs.
Other Desert Cities was on Broadway in its original production.
The first Broadway revival opened at the Hudson Theatre.
- Playwright
- Jon Robin Baitz
- Venue
- Hudson Theatre, Broadway
- Director
- John Benjamin Hickey
- Lead cast
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe
- Setting
- Christmas 2004 in Palm Springs
- Original Broadway run
- 2011
7 sources
Other Desert Cities review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Ed Harris star in Broadway revival with little spark
‘Other Desert Cities’ Broadway Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris and Allison Janney Lead a Resounding Family Drama
‘Other Desert Cities’ Broadway Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Brings Biting Levity to Her Main Stem Debut
‘Other Desert Cities’ Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Gets Seriously Funny For Broadway Debut
‘Other Desert Cities’ Theater Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris and Allison Janney Fail to Make a Once-Timely Play Relevant Again
‘Other Desert Cities’ Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Smashing Debut
Reviews: What Do the Critics Think of Other Desert Cities on Broadway?
What people are saying
the play seems just as vital in today’s bitterly divisive political and social environment.
With Louis-Dreyfus, “Other Desert Cities” is now much more a comedy in its first act than it was with Channing.
The first Broadway revival of Baitz’s great play opened Sunday at the Hudson Theatre
Real or not, it ultimately has more spark than the actors around it.