Earthquakes in London Reviews
Los Angeles Times- Somewhat Recommended
"...With a 17-member cast tackling 36 British characters, accents pose a further challenge. Results are credible, but at times the efforts are so focused on enunciation that they leave the characters unshaded and generic. Bottitta and Khaja layer their accents with intriguingly complex emotional currents."
Broadway World- Somewhat Recommended
"...The West Coast premiere of Mike Bartlett's immensely powerful and inventive play EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON by Rogue Machine at the Electric Lodge in Venice centers on a multimedia examination of the causes of climate change through the eyes of a modern family as they struggle to make sense of it all during a time of societal disconnect, corporate greed, and fractures within their own lives."
Stage and Cinema- Highly Recommended
"...In Rogue Machine's West Coast Premiere of Mike Bartlett's Earthquakes in London, an astounding 17-member cast brings to life the tale of a family coming to grips with an almost certain future of cataclysmic meteorological events. Bartlett, who also wrote Cock and King Charles III, both of which use meta-devices as seen in Red Ink, including time-jumping, continues his trend with his 2010 knockout play - awesome even though it's somewhat sprawling and has an ending a bit on-the-nose. Since Rogue Machine is struggling to build an audience in its new Venice location, they've had to cutback on the expense of set and prop design (puffing on unlit cigarettes is actually distracting) but with a massive engaging ensemble taking us on a three-hour journey which flies by, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything like this on ANY L.A. stage."
LA Splash- Recommended
"...For those intrigued by a thought-provoking peek at climate change and its effects on the people dealing with it, obviously an area of great and timely concern, EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON fits the bill perfectly. The talented cast give their all to this tale of potential death and destruction - with a little bit of hope thrown in at the end. There's even the occasional chuckle to lighten the grim mood."
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...Epic in its scope and timeframe, intimate in its intersecting family dramas, bleak in its depiction of a world doomed by climate change, and as thrillingly theatrical as stage storytelling gets, Rogue Machine's West Coast Premiere of Mike Bartlett's Earthquakes In London is sure to be one of the season's most talked-about productions."
Total Theater- Highly Recommended
"...It would be impossible in a brief review to sum up all the action in Earthquakes in London and to describe each and every one of its large cast of characters. Suffice to say that the play goes deep into the battle to save Mother Earth from the ravages of man-made pollution and degradation. Bartlett uses every weapon in his theatrical arsenal to dramatize his story: agit-prop, bawdy humor, satire, realism, fanciful touches, snatches of song, etc. The result is a work of boldness and originality, a one-of-a-kind drama that challenges us to rethink the way we live."
Stage Raw- Highly Recommended
"...Earthquakes in London is essentially a family character study laid out on a big canvas. Bartlett's writing is sharp and funny and moving, and while his ultimate message is one of hope, he also makes clear the possible consequences of our flawed stewardship of the planet. "The earth knows what it wants. It wants to get rid of us." It's a stark statement in a striking play and a great production."
Theatre Notes- Highly Recommended
"...The award winning British playwright, Mike Bartlett (Cock, Bull, King Charles III), won an Olivier prize for his play, Earthquakes in London, in 2010. This prescient play is more meaningful now than when it was first produced. With the climate running rampant due to evermore vigorous human activity that shows no sign of slowing down, Earthquakes in London is entertaining and scary, funny and tragic. It is a pastiche, a potpourri, a potent mix of styles and themes."