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Tom Sime,
The Dallas Morning News, November 2003
Mark Lowry,
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 2003
“In writing for theater, [Gertrude Stein] deliberately avoided conventions… And this means that the company must be imaginative and talented. Fortunately, the deep ellum ensemble has approached her play, Saints and Singing, with enough humor and intelligence to make their hour at the Midtown International Arts Festival a fun display of words, dance, and singing… The production is filled with beautiful little moments of dance and singing that display Stein’s collision of words and meaning. …the theatrical equivalent of Picasso’s abstract cubism… a stimulating performance.” Aaron Leichter,
nytheatre.com, July 2002
Frank Episale,
oobr.com, July 2002  "6
white plates, inspired by a combination of Ibsen’s Ghosts,
a fourteenth century Japanese NOH drama and Appalachian folklore,
plays out like a long, twisted dream. The trance-like atmosphere
is contagious, and it is virtually impossible not to get sucked
in.... The company knows how to manipulate sound and movement
to their fullest advantage.... Their all white tunic style gowns
and eerily matching white faces hypnotize and even scare.... Their
relationship is shrouded in ambiguity; but defining their relationship
isn’t important or even relevant.... The talented trio use
their bodies and voices effectively, sometimes catching you off
guard.... The biblically inspired sparring between Pre (Shawn
Parr) and House (Trae Hicks) is not only humorous, it highlights
the strong abilities Mr. Earnest possesses as a writer."deep ellum’s unique style of fusing dance, chant and a capella are fully showcased in 6 white plates. The company’s influences of Southeast Asian puppetry and Southern Storytelling are evident too in this production.... Yes, it is on the philosophical side -– but is that a bad thing? deep ellum’s production not only stimulates the senses; it also stimulates the mind." Charmaine Lim,
Show Business Weekly, April 2000. "What's remarkable about blood pudding is how much information is conveyed through non-textual means. This is theatre fare par excellence: when and where else would we see work this daring and adventurous?" Karen Fricker,
The Sunday Tribune (Dublin), 3 October 1999
Tom Sime,
The Dallas Morning News, 23 April 1999. "The five young Texans bound across the small stage, bursting with vigour and vivacity. Chanting choirs, abstract dance and pantomime, and even shadow and puppet theater are the hallmarks of the remarkable acting performances." Henrike Thomsen,
Berliner Zeitung (Berlin), 26 January 1999. "Despite its bloodthirsty title, this is not a horror show but a very entertaining reflection on the American dream... Karen Lee Pickett sheds a flashing light on the development of Mary Mallon... With quick set changes and only a few props Suzan Perry, Helena Prince, Trae Hicks and Shawn Parr portray a vast number of characters... With very precise images, author and director Matthew Earnest created nothing less than a tangible American moralistic tale, avoiding the risk of sliding into cheap affectations. The production received tremendous applause and rightfully so." Christian
Schindler, Berliner Morgenpost (Berlin), 25
January 1999.
Tom Heithoff,
Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin), 25 January 1999. "...fine a capella singing and strong acting." Michael Feingold,
The Village Voice (NYC), 8 September 1998. "...deep ellum ensemble -- a troupe you've never heard of, but they're one of the great companies working in isolation that the Fringe hopes to draw out and lend a spotlight..." Robert Simonson, Time Out New York, 13-20 August 1998. "Director Matthew Earnest makes the Puritan gloom and serious, earthbound atmosphere layered and alive... Suzan Perry plays the old woman with marvelous cynicism and lasciviousness; she is frivolous and childlike, flirtatious and contemptible... This group flies with a unique, vibrant blend of theatrical elements." S. Quenot,
Berliner Morgenpost (Berlin), 9 July 1998. "deep ellum ensemble offers serious ensemble acting and sincere, deeply felt theater work. As voices in feverish dreams, choirs of angels and spirits of temptation, the six-member ensemble, in their driven, focused playing, are the frame for a magnificently funny, headstrong Suzan Perry as Granny Weatherall... der hottest ticket in town!" Christina
Tilmann, Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin), 9 July
1998. "Matthew Earnest's direction is stylish; his new translation is smooth; the acting by deep ellum ensemble is polished; the settings by Earnest and Tracy Hicks contain fascinating visual tableaux; the music, directed by Laura Lovejoy, is beautifully performed. ...a dazzling new approach to Brecht." Victor Gluck,
Backstage (NYC), 6 February 1998.
Ed Hayman,
The Dallas Morning News, 23 August 1997. "The Purification... was given a riveting staging by deep ellum ensemble. Director Matthew Earnest's cast rendered this folk-like tale with artfully channeled force, eloquent vocal power and a mastery of mask technique akin to the Greek choral tradition. It was a thunderously fitting conclusion to an enthralling weekend." John Townson,
Lavender Magazine (Minneapolis), 25 April 1997. "The troupe, founded by former Dallas residents now living in New York offered their services for a cut of the box office, and the results were surprisingly strong... The play had seemed impossibly elliptical... But as directed by Matthew Earnest and performed by Trae Hicks and Helena Prince, the story began making sense... (The production) was also able to shine a more positive light on the oft-maligned talents of Williams in his final years." Richard Dodds,
The New Orleans Times-Picayune, 28 March 1997. "...the eight-member production was a considerable and admirable effort that revealed a seldom-seen facet of the festival's namesake playwright." Richard Dodds,
The New Orleans Times-Picayune, 28 March 1997. "...a steady directorial instinct... strong acting... downhome, smart, minimalist... deep ellum: When y'all comin' back?" Kevin Martin,
Cover Magazine (NYC), November 1996. "The actors bring an appealing energy and concentration to the proceedings." Ben Brantley,
The New York Times, 29 May 1996. |
“Doctor
Tedrow’s Last Breath appears destined for greatness…
An extraordinary feast of design… The music is generally
gorgeous and moving… Earnest’s lyrics are as powerful
and complex as the rest of his text.”
“Director
Matthew Earnest’s deep ellum ensemble have wisely embraced
Saints and Singing on its own terms, crafting an entertaining,
stylistically coherent production without attempting to make
too much "sense" of the text. An ensemble of five
skilled performers took the stage in choir robes, contrasting
the enigmatic opening text of the play with Handel’s Hallelujah
Chorus. Before long, the robes were cast off and the actors
were dancing, singing, and chanting in their underwear. …the
fast-paced production invited the audience to set aside textual
and dramaturgical analysis and enjoy the performance as spectacle,
absorbing it as a celebration of theatre for its own sake…
In other hands, this approach could have been unduly alienating,
but this charismatic ensemble always kept a strong connection
to the audience. While the cast functioned well as a cohesive
ensemble, they also each exhibited their own distinct strengths
and personalities. Chris Bean’s physical grace and joy
in performing, Jennifer Vega’s vocal conviction and flawless
timing, Shawn Parr’s quiet, grounded intelligence, and
Holly Techholtz’s soaring soprano all worked together with
the unflagging energy and enthusiasm of apparent ringleader
Trae Hicks…
"Under Mr. Earnest's
inspired guidance, the ensemble made a triumphant return to
its hometown. Suzan Perry plays Granny with utter brilliance...
(The Jilting of Granny Weatherall) showcases deep ellum ensemble's
raw, ritualistic design sense but is also marvelously polished
and sophisticated; somehow, though every stitch is shown, the
overall effect is seamless. Visually, sonically and psychologically
riveting, Granny makes for an evening of astounding grace and
power."
"Director Matthew Earnest
shows a good sense for ingenious images, spicing, for example,
a dance of chicken and tortellini with humour and poetry. One
of the most touching scenes in the play is one where Helena
Prince sings a lullaby for a child dying of typhoid fever --
almost unnoticeably turning it into a dirge. Karen Lee Pickett,
in the role of Mary, convinces as a powerful and innocent woman.
But stop here -- to pick out an actress from the strong ensemble
would be unjust."
"deep ellum's style is
a blend of choral music and dancelike staging -- a Southern
Gothic chant event, as described by director/adaptor Matthew
Earnest... (Suzan) Perry's Granny has a coiled-spring energy
and wide-eyed courage that never wane as she struggles against
the boundaries of the bed and the hallucinations that sweep
over her like the rains she stood against when she was young.
Mr. Earnest's ensemble -- by turns grieving, giddy and even
a tad diabolical -- has mastered the usually tedious craft of
group speak, and it provided a persuasive Greek chorus to her
tragedy. The Jilting of Granny Weatherall is a refreshingly
original piece of work by a company with a genuine point of
view and a sense of style."