It's a treat for the audience...each of these eight pieces has its own distinct voice, and shows Orloff's great range as a writer...He manages to address some heavy issues that affect relationships...infusing each with a delicate balance of humor and gravity...all 16 actors are well-cast and entertaining...a lighthearted evening that is fun and thought-provoking.
Exhilarating...a nice showcase for the company and for Orloff's comic, lyric, and surreal talents...writing with heart, hope and humor about people who need people.
Whatever wars may capture the headlines, the one that still fires the greatest passions is the battle of the sexes. In 'Couples,' an evening of eight one-acts being presented at the WorkShop Theater Company ... Mr. Orloff moves the action in unexpected ways to create real dramatic tension ... There are wildly imaginative flights .... both funny and poignant.
Thanks to you, your production team and your cast for a wonderful evening of Shakespeare at its best. Your production of The Tragedie of Macbeth kept my eleventh grade students from the Bronx at the edge of their seats. Students commented to me that they especially loved the intimate setting, realistic sword fights, and intense emotion displayed by the actors. Most of them have never been to a small theater and this experience made them feel truly engaged in the action onstage...The evening was made complete by a talk back session with the actors and words of thanks from the director.
An immensely effective show...it virtually revels in its trust in the Bard to deliver the goods through soaring language and grand storytelling that age cannot wither, especially when augmented with knowing stagecraft. Director Charles E. Gerber guides his cast in a panoply of deftly spoken and convincing performances.
What a woman [Susan] Angelo makes of [Lady Macbeth] - beautiful, slinky, sexy and determined, yet she is still surprised and delighted by the strength of how she intends to upgrade her standard of living. She knows she's got to manipulate her man, and she knows how to do it.
David M. Mead...shows us both this man's burning ambition and his intense thoughtfulness. His Macbeth isn't talked into anything by anybody. As a result, his eagerness to believe whatever the wayward sisters tell him is almost chilling: it's a bit frightening (though resonant) to see a smart powerful man embrace the supernatural just because it seems to serve his own cause so thoroughly.
A well-observed...funny play...Ken Jaworowski is adept at creating characters, and the audience feels it knows these men by the time each has told his story...A good cast under Thomas Cote's direction brings each of the characters to life.
