Washington Post - Recommended
"...it still offers its tender and funny rewards, which are validated in director Holly Twyford’s unadorned production for a fledgling troupe on H Street NE, No Rules Theatre. With a cast headed by the effortlessly convincing Alyssa Wilmoth as Sara and Rachel Zampelli as Callie, No Rules produces a “Stop Kiss” with no-
nonsense authority and, more important, a lack of the sentimentalizing that can phony up such an evening."
DCist - Highly Recommended
"...This play could be melodramatic if not acted in a totally believable and relatable way, and Zampelli and Wilmoth both deserve awards for the honesty of their performances here. Twyford's balanced direction lets us laugh at their awkward attempts to express themselves without sacrificing an ounce of their dignity and humanity. They are ably aided by the rest of the cast, especially Ro Boddie, who turns the potentially thin character of Callie's friend-with-benefits Greg into a highlight. Tony Cisek's natural, adaptable set and Frank Labovitz's spectacularly accurate parade of '90s-tastic costumes are spot-on as well."
MetroWeekly - Highly Recommended
"...But it's not just the acting. Most aspects of the production seem natural and effortless --as if it were real life, not put-on drama. Tony Cisek's lived-in set pieces, especially Callie's sofa bed, in a near-constant state of disarray, are about as non-stagey and realistic as a stage gets. And Twyford's subtle, fluid way of transitioning between the show's complicated, cinematically inspired scenes, 23 in all, is delightfully dexterous. She's ably assisted here by ''Scenic Charge'' Daina Cramer, who helps Zampelli, say, take a few steps and leave one ''room'' to go to another whole scene, all boosted with just a quick adjustment of light. There's nothing too static or overly dramatic about it."
WeLoveDC - Recommended
"...No Rules Theater Company’s Stop Kiss tells the story of reluctant Callie and bold Sara as they meet and change each other’s lives in late-90s New York. Callie has a level of comfortable living that lazy accidents and compromises have delivered to her, and with it the ability to take in the cat of a friend of a friend. Sara’s handing over her beloved pet to a friendly stranger as one more of many sacrifices she’s making to pursue her dreams and do what makes her happy. It’s a credit to Rachel Zampelli’s portral of Callie that we never find ourselves wondering exactly why Alyssa Wilmouth’s Sara would go through all this hassle to be with her after they meet and strike it off."
Washington City Paper - Recommended
"...Really, everyone is good in this. One likely explanation is that the show marks the directing debut of Holly Twyford, one of D.C.’s most gifted and versatile actors; she played Sara in Stop Kiss’ Washington premiere at Woolly Mammoth in 2000. Besides stoking convincing work from her entire ensemble, she seems at ease with blocking, creating memorable stage pictures within Tony Cisek’s set. The audience is divided along two sides of H Street Playhouse’s black-box space, with various plots economically dressed as Callie’s apartment, Sara’s hospital room, and a table pulling double duty as a diner and an interview room at the police precinct."
BrightestYoungThings - Highly Recommended
"...The intimate setting of the H Street Playhouse brings the audience into poignant spaces that define Callie and Sara’s relationship: Callie’s apartment, a NYPD interview cell, a hospital room. The set design places Callie’s foldout sleeper bed -a place Callie and Sara lounged and became acquainted on -across the stage from Sara’s hospital bed. In the beds alone, audience members are confronted with symbols of innocent love and brutal hate that are impossible to ignore."
Washington Blade - Recommended
"...Sounds pretty grim, but actually there’s comedy in this drama. Staged by celebrated local actor Holly Twyford (who’s gay) in her directorial debut, No Rules Theatre Company’s production evokes just the right balance of laughs and pain in what’s ultimately a sweet story about love and commitment. At a recent performance, the sizable lesbian portion of the audience seemed particularly pleased at seeing familiar parts of their lives effectively portrayed on stage. They laughed and groaned at the female characters’ clumsy romantic overtures and were audibly disturbed by the play’s gay bashing, a pivotal plot point which takes place off stage."
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...No Rules Theatre Company’s Stop Kiss is a delight. How often can one say that of a play that tackles a serious issue? How likely is it that one could ever say that of a play structured around the brutal beating of a young woman? Nonetheless, Stop Kiss is funny, engaging, poignant, and deft, as it explores the sexual awakenings of two women and the violent response to a kiss between them in a public park."
DCTheatreScene - Recommended
Who can predict what will happen the moment after a first kiss? Those tender, uncertain seconds can reveal worlds about the heart you’ve just touched. But they can also reveal the secret heart of the world around you — an unnerving notion at the core of Diana Son’s gentle, intelligent 1998 drama.
