Elephant Shavings Reviews
LA Splash- Highly Recommended
"...ELEPHANT SHAVINGS is definitely a metaphorical tale which will likely prove puzzling and even strange to the uninitiated. At the same time, it may provoke thoughtful consideration of the unexplained phenomena which surround the average person every day. This is a play which will probably linger with audiences after it ends. After all, Sossi’s story combines drama, humor, and absurdity in equal measures. This “lazy person’s guide to enlightenment” can be a fascinating experience. Besides, it’s kind of fun to be sitting in the center of the action at the Odyssey Theatre on Sepulveda."
Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended
"...The "shavings" of the title references a sculptor who carves an exquisite elephant statue from an unsightly block of wood. Questioned on his methods, the sculptor states that it was just a process of paring the wood down until one got to the essence of the elephant. (The familiar anecdote, as we heard it, involved Michelangelo and a block of marble.) The play also contains a confusing allusion about the onion in Peer Gynt that was peeled away to reveal...nothingness. It's an apt analogy for Sossi's well-meaning but largely incomprehensible play, which leaves us scouring through the fragments for significance."
The Hollywood Times- Recommended
"...Described by Ron Sossi as “a lazy person’s guide to enlightenment,” this humorous and somewhat absurd play evolved out of Sossi’s enduring interest in the realm of metaphysics and Eastern philosophies, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism, as well as modern Western teachers like Rupert Spira and Mooji. The play opens at the end of the season of a production of Sam Shepherd play complete with a set reminiscent of some of Shepherd’s play. Cast members are having a closing night party and end up discussing acting and directing styles which soon lead to an intense parlay about what is reality and the purpose of theatre in portraying human experience."