We round up the reviews for the UK premiere of Dominique Morisseau’s play, running at the theatre until the 24th August.
The Guardian: **** “The production itself thrums with life, its tone buoyant, refusing to sink into defeatism. Conventionally structured and conversational, it avoids stasis through the pop and bubble of Morisseau’s script, which is a joy to listen to, line for line (the sound of an ancient car engine is like “an old woman with emphysema”; the toxic effect of “inhaling” workplace rumour “clogs up your lungs”).”
The Stage: **** “With direction from Matthew Xia, compelling performances bring out all the heart and harshness embedded in Dominique Morisseau’s gripping workplace drama.”
Time Out: “What Morriseau does extremely well is bring together four well-rounded characters – each of whom appears to have a full life off stage, only glancingly alluded to here – and show their lives through the prism of work. Admittedly we don’t ever see them working: the play is set entirely in a staff common room, though in Matthew Xia’s production the nature of their jobs is brought home by pummelling industrial light and sound during the scene transitions.”
WhatsOnStage: **** “This emphasis on the meaning and dignity of work gives the play considerable force. Sometimes it tilts into the obvious, but its meaning lands true. When Shanita talks about the way traffic no longer merges, and everyone is out for themselves, it’s a salutary reminder of how the failings of industry and the lack of concern for anything but a profit margin, corrode and distort values in society at large. It feels like a drama for our times.”
The Arts Desk: **** “Matthew Xia’s intelligent direction gets the best from the text and this fine cast. The play has a message for today, pinpointed by Shanita, whose drive to work has given her a key insight: “People don’t know how to merge.” “
The Telegraph: **** “This highly anticipated staging of Dominique Morisseau’s 2016 play emerges as a trenchant critique of the excesses of capitalism.”
Evening Standard: **** “The play arguably comes to a too-neat conclusion. But this is a vivid slice of American life addressing a situation in which millions find themselves worldwide, and a thoroughly entertaining night out.”
The Reviews Hub: **** “Absent much of a storyline, the piece works most effectively as a nuanced and finely crafted look at the dynamics of a found family, and at working class lives lived under the constant pressure of unwanted change.”
All That Dazzles: **** “With a great deal of love, care, and talent behind it, Skeleton Crew is a welcome addition to the Donmar Warehouse’s history, and hopefully will be able to follow other recent productions in transferring elsewhere.”
Broadway World: **** “Us critics habitually label one person shows as “masterclasses in acting” yada yada yada. Then this must be a masterclass in ensemble, with Xia, shaman-like, challenging the dramatic flow in and around his actors – and through the Donmar – the perfect space for a play that teeters between cosiness and claustrophobia.”
Theatre Vibe: “I liked Ultz’s believable and detailed workplace set using the whole width of the Donmar stage and full height. The performances are excellent and Branden Cook is especially impressive as Dez in this, his professional stage debut. Both women convince, one embarking on a new life, the other adjusting to loss and addiction. It is no wonder these employees will turn to a regime that offers better employment prospects.”
The Spy in the Stalls: **** “Dominique Morrisseau’s script is tight. Each line oozes with character. Dancing between philosophy and banter, the dialogue snaps and sizzles. And she knows when to hold back. There’s power in what isn’t said. Matthew Xia leans into that silence in his direction. There are moments of stillness, of pause. Watching people get ready for work, alone, tells you so much about them.”
Theatre Weekly: **** “Xia’s direction is both sensitive and dynamic, allowing the tension to simmer and occasionally boil over in authentic bursts of emotion. The intimate setting of the Donmar Warehouse serves the play well, amplifying the claustrophobic atmosphere of lives and livelihoods hanging in the balance. The audience is drawn into the characters’ world, feeling every hope, fear, and frustration.”
Everything Theatre: **** “The subtleties of Skeleton Crew are intriguing. The way the set reinforces the text to build tension is unique. This play is a slow burner, but the payoff is worth it.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.donmarwarehouse.com/whats-on/17/by-dominique-morisseau/skeleton-crew