Eclipsed at John Golden Theatre

Scribicide - Recommended

"American response to war outside our purview tends toward either apathy or fits of passion followed by amnesia. In either case, we tend to dehumanize the people involved, reducing them to hollow categories of perpetrators and victims. Eclipsed is precisely the kind of work that precludes this reaction, forcing a confrontation between audience and subject matter without offering the easy pressure relief valve of cynical hopelessness or self-congratulatory liberalism."

Theatre Reviews Limited - Highly Recommended

"Under Liesl Tommy's careful and inventive direction, the ensemble cast is uniformly brilliant and each delivers a powerful and authentic performance...There are times one wishes playwright Danai Gurira's writing could have been stronger, especially giving The Girl a more significant role throughout the play...This is an important play with an important story...'Eclipsed' is a redemptive and salvific story offered with distinctive grace and distinguished craft and not to be missed."

Bobs Theater Blog - Recommended

"'Eclipsed' is a devastating drama about the lives of four Liberian women living in a rebel compound as 'wives' of the general. Gurira vividly differentiates her characters and captures their blend of cooperation and competition...The ensemble acting is exceptional with Nyong'o a standout. Except for a few slow moments in the first act, the play is consistently gripping. The set and costumes by Clint Ramos are evocative. Liesl Tommy's direction is assured."

StageZine - Highly Recommended

"Freedom, loss of identity, sexual servitude, dignity, self-worth, guilt and anonymity are only some of the issues that Danai Gurira presents in her brilliant play 'Eclipsed'...The performances are brilliantly nuanced and paced by Lisel Tommy. She hits every emotional peak and devastating defeat to the maximum effect that the play offers...'Eclipsed' is not lighthearted fare but it is certainly a night for enlightenment and the power of women."

DC Metro Theater Arts - Somewhat Recommended

"Though set over a decade ago, this story resonates even more forcefully today…The five actresses who populate this story are all committed and capable of playing even the humor...I found the play informative…But I must admit I was distanced by the relentless shouting and some of the overdone body movements...I recommend this clearly sincere play to anyone interested in learning more about this underworld activity...But I warn that I found it more disturbing than moving."