Washington Post - Highly Recommended
"..."4000 Miles" is her most satisfying play to date, in part because the plot feels so unencumbered. Leo's growth over the course of his stay in Vera's flat - rendered by set designer Russell Metheny as one of those cozily utilitarian, book-lined New York apartments - is such a seamless emergence that you hardly notice it's happening. The lanky Harrison is completely convincing as a guy who lives in the moment, not because it's a philosophical choice, but because he has simply never been able to notice anything going on more than three feet in front of him."
DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended
"...Amy Herzog's 4000 Miles at The Studio Theatre opens with an unexpected reunion between Vera, a leftist in her eighties played by Tana Hicken, and her grandson Leo (Grant Harrison), a twenty-something who came to New York from St. Paul on his bicycle. The two are estranged, not having seen each other since Vera's husband Joe's funeral a couple of years ago. As the scene progresses, we feel each character's comfort in the other, though Leo constantly refers to his grandmother as Vera."
DCist - Recommended
"...A joy of many shades, 4000 Miles hits a tenor of both acidic observation and soft, gentle resonance."
WeLoveDC - Highly Recommended
"...However, even cliches can be enlivened by a great performance. When Leo and Vera get high together, we know it's a device to get them to reveal vulnerabilities, but Hicken has that magical ability to make you forget the fourth wall, to overlook a play's flaws, and to bring out the best in other actors. If this is indeed her last performance, that's reason alone to get over to 14th Street and see it."
Washington City Paper - Recommended
"...This gentle, keenly observed family drama tracks a warming of relations between an independent octogenarian and her 21-year-old grandson. This kind of minor-key piece will almost always sound like a treacly snore summed up in a sentence or two, but I tell you it's a consistently funny and rewarding diversion boasting a standout central performance."
Washingtonian - Recommended
"...The emotional crux of the play, in which Leo reveals how he ended up at his grandmother's door, lacks the gut punch it might have, partly because Herzog makes it incongruously humorous, and partly because the scene is realistic to its core. But the emotional journey of his character throughout the few weeks he spends at Vera's is heartening, as is the reminder that age doesn't force people into boxes. Herzog's diverse, dynamic characters, expertly rendered, make 4,000 Miles go by in a flash."
BrightestYoungThings - Somewhat Recommended
"...You might think I am using the word "unfortunate" too much. I cannot think of a better word to describe this production. It is unfortunate to see a piece that could have so much potential flounder like the one I saw on Friday night. It is unfortunate to see a piece of theatre that fails to engage me, but rather attempts to tickle me. That is my perspective, though. What do I know? I'm still only a twenty-something that gets to see shows for free. If, however, you are looking for a theatrical substitute for the sitcom, "4000 Miles" might be for you. I regret to say, it was not for me."
The Georgetowner - Highly Recommended
"...The small cast-it includes Heather Haney in an insistently honest portrayal of Leo's girlfriend Bec and Annie Chang as Amanda, on a disastrous pickup date interrupted by guess who-is altogether excellent, made more vivid by the lived-in, book-rich set and intimate theater setting. In the end, we and Leo and Vera, are left, not with the overused commodity of hope, but with a soothing appraisal of sad laughter."
DramaUrge - Recommended
"...The performance I saw, fairly early in the run (still four weeks to go), had an unsettled feel to it, with some of the actors still finding their way into their characters; look for a sharper production when you go as I recommend you do. While 4000 Miles leads down many roads that remain closed, some of them are open. Count a strong, central character fully realized by Ms. Hicken who, like her, continues not only to endure, but flourish."
MD Theatre Guide - Recommended
"...Despite my misgivings about the early scenes in the script, I recommend you see 4000 Miles. It gives you a chance to see four really good performers and a good production as well."
DCTheatreScene - Highly Recommended
Venerable DC-area actress Tana Hicken might soon be hanging up her spurs, but not before she graces the District with her wit, grace, and canny realism a final time in Studio Theatre’s emotional 4000 Miles. Hicken teams with the disarmingly sincere Grant Harrison to spin a tale of a lonely grandmother and her aimless grandson who find solace and strength by reaching across their generational divide.