The School for Lies Reviews
Washington Post- Highly Recommended
"...The performance exemplifies a less-is-more acting principle that some other performers in director Allison Arkell Stockman’s staging should emulate. There’s an appealing exuberance to the show, but several cast members’ busy physicality and tendency to mug register as effortful. A more restrained approach might better complement the zingy rhyming couplets in Ives’s comedy, inspired by Molière’s 1666 “The Misanthrope.”"
MetroWeekly- Recommended
"...As advertised, Constellation's new production of The School of Lies, staged by founding artistic director Allison Arkell Stockman, is indeed a riotous, giddy affair. The comedy of manners by David Ives, inspired by Moliere's The Misanthrope, stirs a frothy mix of farce, innuendo, and social satire that entangles posh widow Celimene (Natalie Cutcher) and her catty circle in a war of words, where no one is safe from the daggers of ridicule or slander."
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...Constellation Theatre Company's gorgeous production will leave you feeling like you've just had several glasses of champagne, are ordained by Fate to solve all the world's problems, and will under no circumstances have a hangover. In fact, you will never have one again."
Washington Blade- Highly Recommended
"...With its dizzying onslaught of clever rhyming couplets, Ives’ script is a marvel. (And it’s worth noting, the matinee I attended, the admirable cast didn’t flub a single line.) It makes you wonder about the writing process. Did the playwright wrack his brain in pursuit of the next smart rhyme or in a state of artistic fecundity, did the words readily flow? Whatever the case, it’s a good time. And it’s here to be enjoyed."
MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended
"...It is rare to come across a team of actors and designers so well suited for each other. Constellation Theatre Company and director Allison Arkell Stockman have crafted a gorgeous and smart show. You don't want to miss this one."