An Unbuilt Life Reviews
Washington Post- Recommended
"...Steven Carpenter’s handsomely straightforward production unfolds on a living room set (by Joseph B. Musumeci Jr.) that speaks quietly of its inhabitants’ consequence and connections, underscoring the material realities that are as much at stake here as the ethical ones. Shellshocked Agatha, as that jaded broker colleague keeps pointing out, has lived her life in a comfortably privileged bubble — one that, for all the play’s upheaval and incident, has only just been popped as the final curtain comes down."
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...The world premiere of An Unbuilt Life — by Elizabeth DeSchryver and directed by Steven Carpenter — launches one woman’s curiosity into a shadowed world of forgeries, Nazi art theft, and the complicated question of retribution after nearly a century of pain. Playing at the Washington Stage Guild and closing their 2023/24 season, this mystery is for art lovers and those captivated by the thrill of research, discovery, and the pursuit of truth no matter the cost."
MD Theatre Guide- Recommended
"...It is difficult to create nuance in a subject as delicate and one-sided as Nazi war profiteering, but DeSchryver’s script manages to do it without feeling academic or condescending. “An Unbuilt Life” succeeds where lesser scripts would have failed, building tense, human drama out of a heady blend of philosophy and mystery."
BroadwayWorld- Somewhat Recommended
"...Taking a chance on a new world premiere by a late-in-life playwright is a bold move, though, especially as it addresses issues still roiling in the postwar art world. Those involved do the best they can, including director Steven Carpenter and the cast. Inserting a new actor in a three-person play at the last minute is no easy task, and there were only a few understandable flubs in the interchanges and timing on opening night."