The New York Times - Somewhat Recommended
"Ms. Piper is in her comfort zone with the funny stuff, of course, and the comedic high points are delicious. She's less successful when she turns serious, trying for a poignancy that requires more acting skill than she possesses; several segments are more maudlin than moving…But she smartly never lets them go on for long and is quick to lighten the room just when things are in danger of becoming too heavy."
Talkin Broadway - Recommended
"What you get is not a stand-up routine, but a standard-issue bio play with, perhaps, an above-average number of laughs...Piper has taken the unusual avenue of not trying to split your sides, even though she's clearly capable of doing so, and instead taken the attack straight to your heart...'Not That Jewish' isn't as funny as you think it will be, but it's far moving, and the good time you get when you go, even if it's not the kind you expect, will not leave you feeling deprived at all."
TheaterMania - Somewhat Recommended
"Piper's acclaim and sheer reliability is likely why the show has come to the Big Apple, but 'Not That Jewish' can't shake the feeling that it belongs more in a synagogue social hall...Her Old World-style jokes, just on the cusp of dirty, go down easy and earn friendly chuckles. But Piper's presentational style and director Mark Waldrop's artificial production undercut the show's more emotional moments...They're still moving, but not as poignant as they could be."
Epoch Times - Recommended
"The title of this zany, entertaining show comes from playwright and performer Monica Piper's early childhood experience of being told by a playmate that she 'wasn't that Jewish'...Piper got over it...You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this show. Piper is a winning performer able to make very clear any of the Yiddish-isms she spouts. I recommend the show for anyone who wants to enjoy hearty laughs in a comfortable, cozy setting."
Theater Pizzazz - Somewhat Recommended
"'Not That Jewish' positions its storyteller front and center in its narrative. Since Piper is an adept performer and writer who knows how to land a joke, that's not all bad. But it does get a little awkward during the not infrequent spurts of self-adulation...She is a smart woman with a quick wit and that magical ingredient known as comic timing. Yet wit and timing get bogged down considerably as she wades through the treacly landscape of her family history, rendering her not that funny."
Front Row Center - Somewhat Recommended
"I'm laughing and relating, mostly..."'Not That Jewish' needs a good bit of trimming, and another hook to hang its hat on. As it stands now, she's trying to force the narrative of her life into the framework of how she relates to her Judaism...The whole 'I don't go to temple so I have to prove to myself I'm Jewish' thing? Not so resonant with me...Being a single mother and beating breast cancer? That's something to talk about."
Theatres Leiter Side - Recommended
"Through it all, she finds the laughter beneath life's ups and downs. Many of the jokes are Jewish-inflected and familiar to anyone who's seen, let's say, Jackie Mason's routines. Every now and then, a word floats by to spur the next sequence in the show. Despite its theme, the play is for everyone who has a Jewish heart, much as those old Levy's Jewish rye bread ads used to imply; still, folks who laugh at Yiddishisms will soak up just a bit more of its ethnic gravy than everyone else."
Times Square Chronicles - Recommended
"Piper brings back the days of the Borscht Belt, Old World-style jokes and a time gone by. She is witty and full of life. Director Mark Waldrop ties everything together. Part of the joy of watching this show is the laughter that rolls out and through the audience. In a time when laughter has been replaced with stress and fear thanks to this abominable election, it is nice to hear this sound ringing out around you."
Wolf Entertainment Guide - Highly Recommended
"She emits such sincerity that one gladly accepts whatever she is telling us. She also has the gift of being able to turn the corner and stir emotions between the laughs...Piper knows how to get to you. Piper is an excellent actress...Director Mark Waldrop has kept the show smooth as she moves about at the right moments...It all comes down to the intimacy she is able to establish with her audience in this generously entertaining and often moving performance."
Diandra Reviews it All - Highly Recommended
"I adore this show not because it is hilarious but because it is a moving show of the acclaimed writer/comedienne's life...There is not one moment in this show where you will be bored...In a world that every day seems meaner, especially during this election, Monica Piper's 'Not That Jewish' is a reminder that there are some sweet personalities in this world that can still give you some great laughs...'Not that Jewish' is for every age, every religion, and practically every human being."
