In this special rapid-fire grab bag episode, Critical Darling tackles three productions that have slipped through the cracks so far during the season: Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning comedy Art, the Manhattan Theatre Club drama Punch, and Simon Rich's comedy event All Out: Comedy About Ambition. Rather than the show's usual deep-dive format, Andrew offers quick-hit reviews and reflections on each production on the quest to complete his mission of covering every major Broadway play and musical from the season.

Along the way, Andrew is joined by two returning fan-favorite guest hosts. Sean Reilly returns to unpack Punch, the true-story drama about restorative justice, accountability, and forgiveness, while Brent McCreary joins the conversation on All Out, Simon Rich's star-studded evening of comedy featuring music from Lawrence. Together, they discuss everything from celebrity-driven revivals and Broadway economics to the power of redemption stories and New York City's enduring hold on the people who love it. It's a fast-moving collection of hot takes, big feels, and final verdicts on three productions that helped define Broadway's 2025–26 season.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction

1:49 Setting the Stage - Art

3:08 Hot Takes - Art

8:35 Big Feels - Art

14:10 Should You See It? - Art

16:36 Setting the Stage - Punch

17:49 Hot Takes - Punch

24:01 Big Feels - Punch

27:28 Should You See It? - Punch

32:01 Setting the Stage - All Out

33:31 Hot Takes - All Out

47:03 Big Feels - All Out

49:04 Should You See It? - All Out

51:00 Outro

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ABOUT THE SHOWS

More on Art: https://artonbroadway.com/

More on Punch: https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/shows/2025-26-season/punch/

More on All Out: https://alloutbroadway.com/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Watch SNL Skit Woodbridge High School Drama Club Sketch: youtube.com/watch?v=323v_FtWqvo&themeRefresh=1

Follow Sean on IG: https://www.instagram.com/stufffromsean/

Check out Sean's Scholarship Initiative: https://afs.org/global-stem/

Follow Brent: https://www.instagram.com/crazyforconcerts/

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