The Motion Reviews

MetroWeekly- Highly Recommended

"...Ultimately, The Motion‘s intellectual and emotional arguments boil down to one powerful moment of decision, testing what it means to be human, or humane. The two might not be mutually exclusive for that much longer, Chen cheekily implies, regardless of what any audience decides."

Talkin Broadway- Somewhat Recommended

"...It's obvious that playwright Christopher Chen had a lot of ideas he wanted to present in a theatrical format, but that doesn't mean The Motion is easy for an audience to understand or even to follow."

Washington City Paper- Highly Recommended

"...The actors, all of whom have accomplished careers in theater and film, work wonders with Chen’s dialogue, easily blending dense scientific jargon with colloquial language that’s both funny and relatable. And while each actor imbues their character with vigor and wit, Robinette’s performance stands out. As comedic relief, Robinette’s sharp delivery, energetic presence, and poignant expressions give life to Jackie. She delivers one line at the end that gave at least this critic literal chills."

MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended

"...Wit and wisdom drive the enlightening exchange at Intelligence Cubed U.S. Debates headquarters. Barzin Akhavan brings empathetic awareness to Dr. Alan James, a fellow at the Society for Animal Care. Peregrine Teng Heard grounds Professor Lily Chan, a Stanford University bioethics professor, with certainty and insight. On the opposing side, Nikkole Salter plays Dr. Sarah Matthis, a senior fellow at Hawkins Center for Bioethics, with sharp logic and sass. Nehal Joshi makes Professor Neel Bharara of Johns Hopkins University effortlessly charming with quick remarks, understated humor, and well-timed interruptions. Nancy Robinette maintains composure and subtle wryness as moderator Jackie Donovan, presiding calmly as the stakes rise and things take a turn."

Morris Theatre DC- Somewhat Recommended

"...The Motion doesn’t seem to have a lot of its namesake, with long periods of rest and forced naiveté squandering its solid cast."

BroadwayWorld- Highly Recommended

"...Arriving at Arena Stage after its world premiere last year, Christopher Chen's The Motion begins, ostensibly, as a live debate on whether or not to "ban animal testing now." On the "yes" side there is Dr. Alan James (Barzin Akhavan,) a self-identified-and self-satisfied-good and humane doctor, and Prof. Lily Chan (Peregrine Teng Heard,) a sharp-witted professor of bioethics at Stanford University. On the "no" side there is Dr. Sarah Matthis (Nikkole Salter,) a charismatic, no-nonsense senior fellow at the Hawkins Center for Bioethics, and Prof. Neel Bharara (Nehal Joshi,) a dour, confidant professor at the Motion Institute at Johns Hopkins University."

Hill Rag- Recommended

"...Christopher Chen’s The Motion, is receiving a grand and magnificent mounting at Arena Stage. The show features five capable actors interpreting a thoughtful, ardent script. Nancy Robinette leads a cast made up of Nikkole Salter, Peregrine Teng Heard, Nepal Joshi and Barzin Akhavan. The show has a lush musical score by Charles Coes and Nathan A. Roberts. This score supports director Hana S. Sharif’s ingenious staging of scenes that are wordless much of the time. The merging of music and wordless drama felt to me like watching a classic silent movie. There was a lot of goodness to look at. But ultimately, this was an experience that engaged my mind while leaving the rest of me unmoved."

A Theatre-Goer's Thoughts- Highly Recommended

"...The Motion is a challenging play to watch, characterized by dense language, important ideas, and thoughtful questioning. Thanks to the combination of writing, directing, acting, and staging, the audience becomes a participant in the debate."

DC Theater Arts- Somewhat Recommended

"...The way Chen ultimately resolves the riddle after belatedly winning our emotional investment struck me as more gimmicky and schematic than revelatory or satisfying, but that’s just my messy, unquantifiable humanity talking."