Solas Nua: Theatre

Reviews:

The Washington Post
“Messner and Brick, both with good-guy faces, inhabit these volatile, juvenile gadabouts effortlessly…They know how to tell a story, using gestures and expressions that make you laugh even as you wince.”
“Plenty of humor”
“Marianne Meadows's dramatic lighting is crucial to conveying the emotional gut-punch that, also typical of Solas Nua's other shows, hits you at "Howie the Rookie's" tragic end.”

Washington City Paper:
“It’s this beautifully structured diptych from Mark O’Rowe, a story that speaks of love in a vocabulary of curses and fisticuffs and speaks of loss in the plainest incoherencies. It’s blisteringly funny, it’s scatologically foul, and as performed by Eric Messner and Dan Brick, it’s damn near heartbreaking.”
“Intimate and Epic.”
“Her (Linda Murray) approach makes their violence and grit and sudden humanity, feel at once utterly foreign and inescapably familiar.”

CurtainUp.com:
“Mr. O'Rowe joins the humor to the horrific, so that by the time you have reached the end of this production, you have laughed, cried and cringed at the young men's fates”
“Mr. Messner and Mr. Brick are terrific in their roles.”
“Riveting and compelling”

The DC Examiner:
“Watching “Howie The Rookie” is like riding a roller coaster. Sometimes it’s scary, but at other times, you’ll find yourself laughing with sheer exhilaration.”

"With the aid of director Linda Murray, both Messner and Brick give exciting, dynamic performances, perfectly delineating the events that unfold and the voices of the other characters in their narrative.”

DC Theatre Reviews:
“Seeing a Solas Nua production is a lot like getting to ride the biggest baddest roller-coaster.”
“You find yourself totally immersed …laugh out loud funny and full of biting sarcastic wit (that) will keep you riveted to your seat.”
“Solas Nua and director Linda Murray have their collective fingers on the pulse of what is exciting and entertaining in edgy, in your face theatre.”
“More than just another small theatre company Solas Nua has in a very short time captured much of what is great about seeing theatre in a small intimate setting in the District. Rated B for Brilliant this is a play you should see before it closes.”

All Arts Review 4U:
“The show is a minute-to-minute constant joy…”
“Dan Brick adds another laurel to this acting crown …(with an)equally measured and wonderfully drawn performance by Eric Messner.”
“Director Linda Murray gives full value particularly to the description and action of the tumbles and rumbles of these characters.”
“This is a highly recommended show for a substantial evening of stage sparkle by the new Solas Nua company.”