Excerpts from reviews
(full reviews below)
“However politically independent Terra Firma may be, geographically it’s deep in Beckett country.Deeper than Beckett himself, in a sense. . . . This is both the play’s strength and its weakness. Strength, because it affords twice as much material for comedy. Weakness, because it lessens our ability to identify with either the characters or their plight, and accordingly to gain any meaningful insight into human nature or the man-made disasters to which the play alludes. . . . Politics aside, Terra Firma is a highly entertaining play. The highlight in this regard is T. Ryder Smith, who arrives late to the party and plays the part of the Diplomat with the verve and gusto of a Neapolitan maestro. His command of voice and gesture is so complete that even the simple act of tripping on a piece of sheet metal gets funnier each time he does it. And his fistfight with O’Keefe’s ornery and ethnically ambiguous Hostage is a masterpiece of slapstick . . . “ – Reviews from Underground
“A polished production of a challenging new play . . . The play isn’t set in the 20th century, but the not-so-distant future, far away from dry land. The son Teddy returns after spending a fortnight at sea without having discovered the coast. He treats a rescued shrub like precious treasure. The arrival of a diplomat in a tattered suit (T. Ryder Smith, simultaneously funny and tragic) offers further evidence that something terrible has happened in the world . . . The apocalyptic setting and vaguely clownish characters give Terra Firma the flavor of Beckett, with humor and poetry emerging from its absurd reduction of society. . . . Deft direction of excellent performances . . . Terra Firma isn’t a perfect play, but Hammond’s ambition is admirable and necessary . . . “ – TheatreMania
“Through her adroit script, Hammond tackles the controversies of immigration, power, a nation’s humility and responsibility to its citizens, and to the greater good of the country and its place in the world. . . . Despite the depth of the subject matter, the play is far from dark and foreboding. On the contrary, the skilled ensemble with it’s Lecoq clown precision, especially the nimble T. Ryder Smith as The Diplomat, and the witty and cleverly funny dialogue make this a boisterous game at times, splashing through the ideas of need for community and why we are compelled to live among like-minded individuals.” – Front Row Center
“Ambitious and smart, it is not yet coherent . . . squeezes whimsy, character comedy and ecological allegory into one crowded play. . . . This pathos gets at what the play does best: It understands and in some way forgives human limitation. It fares less well when it attempts a critique of rulers who reject reality even if it’s a reality they helped create. . . . Though the cast — especially Nichols, O’Keefe and Smith — is strong, and Cooper makes lovely stage pictures on the rusty platform, there’s something thin and self-defeating about the resulting circular logic.” – New York Times
“A terrific play . . . A solid, well-written, well-acted theatrical piece that leaves you pleased, laughing and thinking about what you saw long after you’ve left the theater . . . An absolute delight.” – Theatre Pizzaz
“The inaugural production of the COOP, Terra Firma achieves only some of the many things it wants to. Although the hostage speaks in what sounds like a German accent, and a diplomat (T. Ryder Smith) in an Italian one, the play seems curiously uninterested in the role of race and racial difference in the drawing of borders, drafting of constitutions and taking of prisoners. Given the COOP’s stated mission to produce radically inclusive work (and a preshow acknowledgement of elders indigenous to the land beneath Manhattan), it’s an omission that makes the play ring hollow.” – Time Out NY
“In all its hilarity and lightness, Terra Firma is a tragicomedy packed with complexity that asks a lot of difficult questions: what does it mean to be a nation? What’s an individual’s worth without allegiance to a common value? What are the things we must hold onto, or realize the value of in the direst situations? A loose piece of hedge becomes a garden for the residents of Terra Firma. Although, at times such complexity makes the play seem a little esoteric, it’s a worthy piece of theatrical endeavor that we need to chew on.” – Exuent magazine
“An ambitious play and, in some respects, a necessary play, appropriate to the time in which we live. Although this production struggles with incomplete story lines, its assets are its set design, good direction, and well-chosen actors.” – OffOffOnline
Rehearsals
Offstage
Full reviews
