3.5 out of 5 stars

Can James Joyce's famously difficult, rambling novel "Ulysses'' work on stage? Elevator Repair Service's production brings it to chaotic, rambunctious life -- or at least parts of it, speeding past less-theatrical passages (with “fast-forward” sound effects). Those abrupt skips essentially create a series of blackout sketches, with protagonist Leopold Bloom (Vin Knight) wandering Dublin in one showy, macabre scene after another as the play understandably sacrifices depth for spectacle. The topnotch cast provides memorable moments and Bloom's wife Molly (Maggie Hoffman) gets to give her concluding soliloquy in full -- a climactic reminder of the glory of Joyce's unabridged language. — Adam Z. Horvath

At the Public Theater as part of the citywide Under the Radar Festival through March 1, 2026; publictheater.org. (Review date: Jan. 27, 2026)