Washington Examiner
- Highly Recommended
"...It is rare that a truly unconventional theater work comes along, one that cannot be categorized. Haunting, understated and disarmingly witty, "The Animals and Children" is such a work."
WeLoveDC
- Recommended
"... The world of Animals and Children is a place where anything is possible, in large part thanks to Barritt’s work. His animation, projected onto the set throughout the show, can take us anywhere, and does – from roach-infested flats into, quite literally, the stratosphere. At the same time, the animation works best when it complements the action rather than taking the reins as it does for brief moments during costume changes. During those breaks, the set feels flat and boring; but fortunately the animation that can so easily lull us can also bring us right back into the story once the actors return."
Washington City Paper
- Recommended
"... The opus of which they’re a part at Studio Theatre is The Animals and Children Took to the Streets, the latest creation of a cheeky British theater collective that calls itself 1927. The troupe takes some of its visual cues from films and art of that era, although it was founded just seven years ago. It combines a captivatingly odd aesthetic—part Monty Python, part Tim Burton, part Fritz Lang, and all astringently funny—with shrilly nasal vaudeville tunes and a passion for social commentary."
Washingtonian
- Recommended
"... Fusing the dark, charming animations of Paul Barritt with live performances by writer/director Suzanne Andrade, Esme Appleton, and musician Lillian Henley, Animals creates a vivid world of dysfunction in an unnamed city where wealth is abundant and society revolves around “big business, big banks, and art with a capital ‘ah.’” But just to the east of this capitalist paradise lies an underprivileged slum called the Bayou, inhabited by criminals, racists, prostitutes, junkies, and an underclass of feral, uncontrollable children. The women wear leopard print and mutter grimly about the chaos around them, insects and lizards run amok, and a one-way ticket out costs £777.77—a lifetime’s worth of savings for most residents."
BrightestYoungThings
- Recommended
"... Staging a mind-blowing multimedia whirlwind that is equal parts reimagined Kabuki theater, site-specific installation and brash protest performance art, British theater troupe 1927 brings to the Studio Theater (until July 1) The Animals and Children Took to the Streets: a visually lush and relevant tale of class warfare chronicling the successes and failures of civil unrest directed towards societal change."
ShowBizRadio
- Recommended
"... The many elements of this creation are pulled together into a miraculous deadpan whole that is suitable for children who can suspend belief, all the while it oozes sophistication with an oblique je né sais quoi for the mature, adventuresome theatre lover who will still gaze in childlike awe at what is being presented on the stage. All that and gumdrops too!"
MD Theatre Guide
- Recommended
"... Only three women portray all the live action characters, move all scenery, play all the music, and change costumes with speed to rival Superman. The only other voice belongs to James Addie, who provides the inner monologue to the Bayou’s caretaker while Suzanne Andrade delivers the incredible expressions and movements so that the angst of the caretaker oozes from her like the mud filled streets."
DCTheatreScene
- Recommended
Suzanne Andrade’s The Animals and Children Took to the Streets is, as Monty Python once explained, something completely different. It’s not really a play, although it tells a story. It’s not really a musical, although it has music in it. And it’s not really animation or film, even though both elements are crucial to its success. Nonetheless, it ends up being quite successful at what it does.
DC Theater Arts
- Highly Recommended
"... Last night, I was transported into a thrilling world of animation. After successful runs in Australia, London, China, and Dubai, 1927 brought The Animals and Children Took to the Streets, their original play, to The Studio Theatre. The acting was impressive, and the set design was like nothing I had ever seen in a theatrical production."
