Washington Post - Recommended
"...This chaos is fluidly rendered in David Muse’s U.S. premiere production, with actors neatly trotting back and forth across the disarray of Auden’s book- and junk-strewn quarters (a lovely, sloppy heap designed by James Noone). For high petulance, see Cameron Folmar as the nervous actor playing Auden’s biographer and fretting that he’s merely a device. The add-on material this actor proposes — an unlikely drag turn meant to bring depth to the character — drives Bennett’s play to its looniest moments."
MetroWeekly - Recommended
"...Surely Auden and Britten deserve better treatment than ''Caliban's Day.'' And if so, does that mean they deserve better treatment than The Habit of Art? Perhaps so. Or maybe that's precisely Bennett's point: that greatness and the mundane all come from the same place --showing up every day to get the job done."
WeLoveDC - Recommended
"...Ultimately, it’s a densely philosophical play with sparks of hilarity and a rhythm that may be too casual at times to hold interest for those not already intrigued by the habits of art and the artistic process. But if you are, there’s enough worlds to explore."
Washington City Paper - Recommended
"...The later stretches of Act II do waffle a bit, as if director David Muse (or maybe Bennett, to be frank) hasn’t quite decided whether the play’s really about the actors, or the artists they’re paying homage to, or about the notion that art’s chroniclers should find a way to recognize the handmaidens (hey, that’s why that rent-boy gets so much stage time!) as well as the high priests. Never mind: The Habit of Art is an affectionate, well-turned testament to the makers of art and the people who understand what makes them worthwhile. Only the punters who pay full price would quibble about its imperfections; if you’ve ever waited in line for standby, you’ll have a grand time."
Washingtonian - Highly Recommended
"...Bennett’s sense of humor, as wistful and self-effacing as it is blindingly sharp, is unfailing. “Newcastle?” one character asks, referring to the Northern English city. “It’s all vomit and love bites.” As the rehearsal goes on, despite the constant interruptions (Fitz falling asleep, the petulant Donald complaining that his character is a mere “device,” the playwright, Neil, played by Wynn Harmon, dropping in unannounced), the story of Auden’s current squalid existence in an Oxford University college makes for compelling viewing, particularly when he comes face-to-face with his former beloved friend. Britten’s character, although confident in his work, still suffers from feeling of inadequacy when talking to the conversationally brash but professionally insecure Auden, and yet the history between the pair feels tangible. “Music is a mystery, of course,” Auden tells his friend. “Words are not.”"
BrightestYoungThings - Recommended
"...The title “The Habit of Art” refers to the will of creative people, and how they must tread through duds and masterpieces alike. The title could also refer to Bennett himself, who writes with more brains than heart. It could describe director David Muse, whose thoughtful details add realism and little empathy. In a cerebral way, it’s fun to figure out all the obscure references and see how one actor’s early complaint adds nuance to a later speech. With all its histrionics (a word the play uses often), The Habit of Art seems more fun to rehearse than perform. Because the play is about and by creative people, it is for them, too. Fun as it is to watch, this one may not even require an audience."
DramaUrge - Recommended
"...There are some rough edges around the dialogue in Habit, the structure is convoluted, and the plot, such as it is, feels tacked on, but the character-driven script and overall acting -Messrs. van Griethuysen and Folmar in particular -will leave you laughing."
MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended
"...The U.S. premiere of Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art at The Studio Theatre is hilarious, touching, and thought provoking. It displays Bennett’s unparalleled skill with the English language and flair for well-crafted dramatic structures and probes at the inner-workings of art, literature, the theater, and human interaction. This production, directed by Studio’s relatively new Artistic Director David Muse, is subtle and effective while not diminishing the play’s humor, and is perfectly supportive of the strong, complicated text without being overshadowed by it."
DCTheatreScene - Somewhat Recommended
To begin with, The Habit of Art is not a play about an imagined encounter between W.H. Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten, late in their lives. It is a play about a play about this fictional encounter. Imagine Stoppard’s The Invention of Love having a love child with Noises Off, and you begin to understand what Alan Bennett renders here.
