The Fear of 13 Show Poster

The Fear of 13 Reviews

Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson star in Lindsey Ferrentino’s visceral play, based on the documentary of the same name.

4.8
Show Overview
customer reviews

Customer Reviews (108)

4.8
Score average from verified show reviews by customers who’ve bought tickets from Broadway.com.
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4 stars
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Very interesting.
"As someone who has spent 30+ years working in the criminal justice system I found the story to be extremely interesting. As was pointed out a few times, "yes, this really happened" which is head shaking. As an audience member, the voices could have been a little louder. It was difficult to hear at times. "
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Home S from Oxnard on May 4, 2026
strong difficult play about injustice and impotence
"Well written, excellently played, good staging. Strong subject that deserves to be heard. However, the two primary actors need to project better in their early scenes where they are speaking to each other. {Perhaps they are used to film where the camera and thew sound system do the work. In the theater they need to be heard and it was a struggle.) It got better as the play went on but it was frustrating not to hear well."
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Marianne G from New York on Apr 23, 2026
Never lose hope
"I liked that the main character was natural. It was a story of survival in chaotic prison environments."
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Broadway.com Customer on Apr 19, 2026
Amazing Performances
"Fear of 13 was a remarkable show. The ensemble actors were memorable in their many roles. And Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson were both magnificent: intense, genuine, sad and funny. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Apr 13, 2026
Great Performances!
"Adrien Brody was incredible and worth the price of admission. Tessa Thompson was excellent. The story was compelling but unfortunately not uncommon in our country. "
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Barry W from New York on Apr 5, 2026
Great Cast, A Little Bumpy Staging
"The strength of Adrien Brody carries this. Originally a one-man show, you can see how someone said “this could be better.” Every protagonist needs an antagonist. Hence, Tessa Thompson. Who is a good foil for the Adrien Tour de Force. This is weighty material. To maintain the dramatic through line, there’s no intermission in this 2-hour show. Docking a star bc they can’t figure out if they are a straight-up drama with some levity, or a drama + levity & some really off-kilter farcical jokes thrown in. So a little uneven in places. (Keep the Oscar joke, though! And the water) "
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Jenn M from Plano on Mar 21, 2026
Never Sit in Rear of the Balcony
"Unless you are as tall as Shaquille O'Neal, you will STRAIN your neck to see the stage from the last rows of the balcony. I will never again sit in the balcony of the James Earl Jones Theater. Period. From what I could see of the play, Adrien Brody is a great actor. Everyone else is good. My wife liked the play better than me. "
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Steven t from Stuyvesant on May 27, 2026
Watch the documentary first
"My husband watched the documentary before seeing the play, I did not. The play concentrated mostly on the relationship he had with the female character . I had so many questions at the end. Had I went with more information regarding why he was there and for so long I may have the play differently. Oh and there is no intermission "
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Broadway.com Customer on Apr 1, 2026
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About The Fear of 13

The Fear of 13 tells the extraordinary true story of Nick Yarris, who spends more than two decades on death row for a murder he insists he did not commit. Through a series of prison visits with a volunteer named Jackie, Nick traces a life shaped by impulse and consequence. As Nick and Jackie’s conversations deepen, the line between witness and participant blurs, forcing both to confront what justice demands, what belief requires, and the perilous distance between true freedom and the illusion of self- determination. By turns devastating, darkly funny, and life-affirming, The Fear of 13 is a powerful exploration of truth and trust, conscience and connection.

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