Broadway (1946)
"The Season on Broadway"by Frederick Morgan, The Sewanee Review, June 1947. JSTOR LINK
In his review of the show's first Broadway run, Mr. Morgan focuses the majority of his attention to the setup and workings of the play, as well as its philosophy. Only briefly does he touch upon a couple of the cast members and their effectiveness in their respective roles.
"Mr. Claude Dauphin, in the role of the collaborationist, made the most of some humorous business, but marred an otherwise excellent performance by excessive grimacing and blinking. Miss Ruth Ford, as the infanticide, was by far the most successful in conveying that impression of commonplace cruelty and sterility that is truly hell-ish."
"What interest the play builds up is due largely to the element of the picturesque: the garish decor, the door that opens on a blaze of light, the bellhop's atrophied eyelids, the machine-like interactions of the protagonists."
"Weaknesses" by Stark Young, The New Republic, December 9, 1946. LINK
Jerusalem (1999)
"Hell Revisited" by Sara Sherbill, The Jerusalem Post, February 12, 1999. LINK
In her review of the Jerusalem international production, Mrs. Sherbill perfectly balances her focus between the production and historical background of the play. The review interweaves the setup and history of the script with the values of the production itself (including performances, direction, set, etc.).
"As Cradeau, a man whose strong, masculine self-image unravels before our eyes, Matt Leader gives an unfaltering, understated performance. While Cradeau is clearly suffering, Leader maintains the steadied responses, edging on stoicism, of a man who cannot bear to confront his truest self. In one key moment, Cradeau places his hands over his eyes in frustration and leaves them there longer than expected. We understand the message: this is a man trying desperately to cling to his sanity, or at least to some concept of reality he can make sense of."
"It is obvious that No Exit's director, Jed Silverstein, guided his players gently through this difficult dramatic terrain. A common critique of Sartre'snovels and plays is that they are more about ideas than about people. Silverstein, however, has given the actors room to let their characters shine through the philosophical undercurrents, resulting in a production that is clearly based on ideas, but not at the expense of character development."
Ontario, Quebec, Canada (2010)
"In hell's drawing room, members of a ménage à trois confront big questions" by Pat Donnelly, The Gazette, March 13, 2010. LINK
In his review of the Canadian production of the show, Mr. Donnelly spends the first two-thirds of his writing on the range of effectiveness of the actors. Only as the review ends does he tag on a brief historical account of the script, as well as a short paragraph about the technical aspirations of the production.
"[Bussiere] isn't the whole show. Co-star Julie Le Breton, who plays the toxic and seductive Estelle, frankly upstages her at times - as she is intended to do."
"Faced with the problem of presenting a play meant for a more intimate space within the cavernous, 846-seat TNM, director Lorraine Pintal has turned to spectacle and transformed Garçon into a circus-like figure who climbs up and slides down a pole rising from the black metal cage that represents hell's drawing room. The decor, by Productions Yves Nicol Inc. (first time I've seen a company rather than an individual credited for set design), is designed to give a sense of confinement within an infinity of space. Three frame-doors swing open at appropriate moments. A chandelier hangs over the three-sofa interior where the action takes place."
Toronto, Canada (2003)
"Come hell or high drama" by Robert Cushman, The National Post, June 26, 2003. LINK
In his review of the Stratford Festival's production, Mr. Cushman spends the first half of his writing on the background of the play and analyzing the complexities of the characters (or complaining on the lack there-of). After a few more paragraphs analyzing and griping about Sartre's philosophy, the reviewer details his thoughts on the technical and acting sides of the production.
"Claire Jullien as Estelle flounces about the stage, looking very blond and fetching in a blue dress but exhibiting the character's shallowness rather than exploring it. Chick Reid's Inez is flinty and hectoring, as if that were what defined a lesbian. Stephen Ouimette's Cradeau is somewhat subtler, imprinting himself on the mind as a man with a pervasive mental wince. His last illusions collapse when, doubled up in mirthless merriment, he announces, "I'm dead -- I've gone into public domain," one of the few memorable phrases in a disappointingly flavourless translation by U.S. poet Paul Bowles."
"Jim Warren's production is the staged equivalent of an intelligent reading. Everybody shouts when required, laughs when required (most noticeably when they realize the implications of the play's celebrated punchline), and nobody digs very deep."
Jean Cocteau Repertory (1998)
"In an Existentialist's Hell, Three Is Still a Crowd" by Wilborn Hampton, The New York Times, September 11, 1998. LINK
In Mr. Hampton's review of Jean Cocteau Repertory production, the reviewer spends much of his short and concise article explaining the summary of the play. He does, however, manage to include his thoughts on the director and the talents of the actors involved.
"Elise Stone is the best of the three as Inez, the "tough customer" who finds she "needs to see people suffer to know I exist." Charles Parnell is striking as Garcin and has some rewarding moments, especially in his scenes with Ms. Stone. Tracy Atkins is never really believable as Estelle, playing a woman capable of killing her own child to spite a lover as though she were a cunning little vixen. Tim Deak delivers a fine turn as the Nazi-like bellboy who escorts each to their damnation."
"Mr. Travis sets a pace and tone for his actors that seems more suited to a television sitcom than the menacing machinations of three ruthless souls bound forever in torment. Indeed, some exchanges are played for laughs. Admittedly, a surprisingly pedestrian translation by the novelist Paul Bowles offers little in the way of inspiration. And the final scene, in which the passions of all three are at last unleashed, if only to prove their ultimate impotence, is taut and partly salvages the staging."
Tampa, Florida (1988)
"Enter Hell through 'No Exit' and discover a compelling play" by Peter Smith, Floridian, December 10, 1998.
In his review of a Florida regional production, Mr. Smith writes extensively on the setup of the play and then analyzes each actor in their own paragraph. The review is to-the-point and effectively explains and analyzes the production.
"This existential horror story is mostly well played. Patrick James plays Garcin, and if he begins the evening a little stiffly, as he gets swept up in the play, he handles himself better. Words that seem at first to come only from his lips come from his soul by play's end."
"Daniel F. Reardon's direction is understated and intelligent. He illustrates the various alliances and conflicts with quiet movements and allows Sartre's jokes (for there are some good ones) to come out."
Chicago (2010)
"Looks like Hell to me" by Barry Eitel, Chicago Theater Beat, June 8, 2010. LINK
In his review of a Chicago regional production, Mr. Eitel beautifully describes the technical and scenic elements involved. He does include depictions of each cast member's work, but this review was refreshing in that it was almost exclusively about the design and directing choices of the production.
"McLean, Barlow, and Gleisten clamor and climb wonderfully, conquering the walls, sloped floor, and sofas. The three claw at each other in lust, anger, and desperation. More importantly, they can balance their characters’ evil qualities with vulnerability and rational thinking. Sometimes they can’t get a firm grasp on Sartre’s lyrical language. McLean is particularly guilty here, sounding wooden and dull at bits. He clearly gets the pettiness and jealousy of Garcin, though. All three add enough personal quirks and charms to make these borderline psychopaths engaging. John Taflan, clad in the uniform of a Napoleonic army officer, is endlessly fascinating as the valet. He’s tall, weird, and intimidating, which is what I think the Craigslist ad for a doorman in Hell would ask for."
"Graney and scenic designer Tom Burch demand intense physical acting from the cast. The room is tiny and crowded with furniture and bodies. On top of all this, the whole set is on a steep rake. The design requires accuracy and focus; any sloppiness could end in making the chaos too chaotic."
Virtual Theatre (2011)
"A brilliant 'No Exit'" by Karen D'Souza, Mercury News, April 4, 2011. LINK
"A brilliant 'No Exit'" by Karen D'Souza, Mercury News, April 4, 2011. LINK
In her review of The Virtual Theatre's production, Mrs. D'Souza perfectly blends her critique over the acting, technical, and directorial aspects of the performance. The only thing missing from her review is an depth regarding the history or background of either the script or playwright.
"This valet plays a much larger role than in most versions of the tale. Here he is a jailer for the characters but also a bridge between the universe of the play and the real world. Occasionally, he turns to us and silently begs (via placards) to be let out of his miserable duty. It seems that he, like his prisoners, is locked in a cycle of grim repetition."
"While fusing film and theater can often distract the audience from the craft of the actor, the bold use of cinema (video design by Thompson) in this production invigorates the aspects of the play that might otherwise seem dated. The sexual interludes feel almost obscene, and the brutality of the power dynamics is devastatingly effective."
Oregon (2009)
"Imago's 'No Exit' tilts toward success with strong, physical cast" by Michael McGregor, The Oregonian, October 17, 2009. LINK
"Imago's 'No Exit' tilts toward success with strong, physical cast" by Michael McGregor, The Oregonian, October 17, 2009. LINK
In his review of Oregon's 2009 production, Mr. McGregor beautifully analyzes the technical, directorial, and acting performances involved in the production. There is no real historical background given on the play, but with such a heavy emphasis on the revolutionary set in this production this is understandable.
"The cast is made up of strong, physical actors: Tim True as the pacifist Garcin, who needs to be assured he's not a coward. Maureen Porter as the privileged, frivolous Estelle, who needs the validation of male attention. JoAnn Johnson as the cruel lesbian Inez, who has internalized others' view of her as loathsome. And Bryce Flint-Somerville as a humorously creepy valet showing them the room they'll share for eternity."
"Mouawad's approach, enhanced by Jeff Forbes' stark lighting, is visually dramatic. On a roughly 12-by-12-foot stage that can shift several feet up and down, the three central actors end up in interesting juxtapositions. First, one is higher than the others, then all three are down low. All are balanced on the level or fluctuate as they approach or retreat from one another. Because the shifts coincide with psychological shifts in the script, and the actors adjust without betraying the effort involved, the gadget never seems just a gimmick."
