Passion Reviews

Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended

"...The tone and pacing of Passion are exacting, and here the production is hindered by its staging. The Zephyr Theatre's tight quarters pose inherent challenges, but this production often feels like it is fighting these limitations rather than adapting to them. In many instances, the production seems to have taken inspiration from the Broadway staging rather than creating solutions more suited to the space. Beds, tables, and other set pieces are noisily hauled on and offstage, even during scenes, and curtains in the wings open and close audibly throughout. Music director Joshua Bartley has done a lovely job of translating Sondheim's hypnotic score to just a keyboard and drums, but the cumulative noise of constant moving parts, un-miked performers, and actors frequently delivering lyrics from the aisle lead to a persistent muddiness."

Larchmont Buzz- Recommended

"...This show offers a chance to see and, more importantly, hear, a seldom-produced Sondheim musical. Passion forces the audience to witness the brutal realities of love, minus all the flowers, cutesy hearts, and rainbows. It punctuates the reality that to die loved is the true definition of living."

Broadway World- Recommended

"...Luoma effectively takes us on Giorgio’s journey from a kind, if somewhat callow, man to a kind of prisoner. Even in his freest moments alone with Clara, Luoma conveys there is something holding Giorgio back, some part of himself that he hasn’t tapped into. If it takes an obsessed monster to make him realize that he has never experienced love, well, maybe that’s a fate that Lapine and Sondheim feel is devoutly to be wished for."