Frontieres sans Frontieres Reviews
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...Who knew poking fun at cultural imperialism could be so much fun? Who knew satirizing humanitarian egomania could be so satisfying? Who knew spoofing do-gooders doing bad could be such a good time? Certainly not I — not until I took in Spooky Action Theater’s enchantingly sardonic production of Phillip Howze’s Frontiéres Sans Frontiéres."
Washington City Paper- Somewhat Recommended
"...Loud, pointedly delivered farts might seem out of place in a play about three stateless youths scrapping for their lives in an unnamed war zone, but they’re hardly the most absurd touch in Frontiéres sans Frontiéres. Phillip Howze’s play, now running at Spooky Action Theater under the guidance of artistic director Elizabeth Dinkova, uses just such a confluence of highbrow commentary and lowbrow humor to shine a harsh light on the politics of global poverty and humanitarianism. Sadly, the tooting motif is one of many bits in this committed but overwrought production that rarely hits the right note."
MD Theatre Guide- Somewhat Recommended
"...Communicating miscommunication across different languages can be a difficult task for artists catering to a primarily English-speaking audience, but doing the same when everyone onstage is speaking English themselves presents a whole different set of challenges. Spooky Action Theater’s production of Phillip Howze’s “Frontières Sans Frontiéres” tackles those challenges in an intriguing effort that, despite a lackluster second act, highlights many of the ways the Western world fails to meet marginalized populations where they are."
BroadwayWorld- Recommended
"...The piece is "super strong." Robust direction from Elizabeth Dinkova and the powerhouse script from Phillip Howze really allows the actors to do moving, honest work. The intense and serious subject matter is just as essential as the many moments of brightness and humor. The earnest and very real feeling performances from Takayo, Das, and Salinas, allow for more surreal and exaggerated ones from orbiting characters. Of particular note is Davis, whose comedic timing and scale were tuned finely, the parody of the script breathing through her characters."