Exit The King Reviews
Los Angeles Times- Somewhat Recommended
"...The characters are like those in a deck of wild cards designed by Salvador Dalí, but somehow the game Ionesco prepares never takes off here. The clowning might be a little too effortful. The exertion dampens some of the mirth."
Stage Scene LA- Somewhat Recommended
"...All this being said, if theater of the absurd is your thing, feel free to ignore what I've written and relish the absurdity of it all along with the colorful performances Michetti has elicited from his fabulous cast."
LA Theatrix- Highly Recommended
"...A play called “Exit the King” seems perfect now when democratic values and personal freedoms are under threat by a president who seems to have monarchical ambitions. Eugène Ionesco’s 1962 play, currently on stage at A Noise Within, does skewer tyrannical behavior, but also makes clear that the tyrant is each of us."
Stage Raw- Recommended
"...Under Michetti’s direction, the ensemble works adroitly in service of the playwright’s intent, especially Lubatti in a physically demanding role. But in the end it’s the production values (including Jared A. Sayeg’s spare but judicious lighting and Jeff Gardner’s eclectic sound) rather than any wow factor in the performances that leave a lasting impression. It’s in the final moments, when kingdom’s shabby palatial hall transforms to a cavernous cosmic space, that the message of the playwright is powerfully brought home."
Colorado Boulevard- Highly Recommended
"...The absurdist style of Exit the King, written when Ionesco was in his early forties and, I suspect, aware of his parents’ generation dying off, expresses through exaggeration the futility and mockery of old age, the mercurial way people age, and the unraveling of accomplishment. “In three days we’ve lost all the wars you won,” the King is told. His impending demise even takes on a terrestrial resonance, as clouds rain frogs and earthquakes rattle the stage. Even the cosmos seems to feel his decline, as Mars and Saturn have apparently collided."
Larchmont Buzz- Recommended
"...Absurdist dramas like Exit the King require precision, a spirit of play and a willingness to explore the darker subjects in life. All three are noticeably present here. Theatre of the Absurd might not be for everyone. To be honest, it is never at the top of my list; however, I encourage audiences to head to Pasadena to check out this play that deals equal measures of drama and comedy."
The Hollywood Times- Highly Recommended
"...This fine production of a very important piece of absurdist theatre needs to be seen and appreciated at an antidote for our time."