Los Angeles Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...though the central idea is a worthy one, the execution of "The Break of Noon" is spotty. After an attention-grabbing start in which John Smith (Kevin Anderson) describes the murderous rampage that left everyone in his office dead but him, the play unfolds in a series of strained duologues. In every confrontation, the character's newfound faith is pitted against skeptics who either have been burned by him in the past or distrust the motives for his media-hyped assertion that he was spared by God for a divine purpose. The debate isn't rigged in favor of any one side, but a cloud of polemical contrivance hovers over every scene."
Variety
- Not Recommended
"...As the sole survivor of an office massacre who ascribes his luck to divine intervention, Kevin Anderson hits an opening monologue out of the park. Thereafter, interest dribbles away in a series of uninvolving two-hander confrontations, inconsistently helmed by Jo Bonney."
LA Weekly
- Highly Recommended
"...We come not to bury Neil LaBute, but to praise him. This may be the only positive review of his play The Break of Noon, currently at the Geffen Playhouse, that you're likely to read. It's been roasted by critics from coast to coast since it premiered in late 2010 at New York's MCC Theatre, before traveling west on what might be called a sinking ship."
Backstage
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Playwright-screenwriter Neil LaBute's best works, such as "Fat Pig" and "The Shape of Things," provoke controversy and stimulate thought on vital social issues. In his latest play, now in its West Coast premiere, the prolific scribe sets forth complex and interesting ideas: religious faith and its place in the modern world, plus our struggle to maintain social conscience in a morally ambiguous culture. Unfortunately, the piece seldom feels coherent, let alone engaging. Director Jo Bonney and a four-member ensemble cast make an admirable effort, but the material mostly comes across as pretentious and underinspired."
Santa Monica Mirror
- Highly Recommended
"...The question of Smith's authenticity is the thread throughout this 90-minute play with a surprising raison d'etre in a classic LeBute fashion. "The Break of Noon" should definitely be added to your play list."
LAist
- Highly Recommended
"...LaBute takes an intriguing and successful step sideways from this theme with his new play The Break of Noon, currently playing in its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse, wherein he wonders if a selfish jerk could actually be the recipient of a message from God."
Stage and Cinema
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The premise is promising: a neer-do-well survives a horrible mass murder and, because he has survived, imagines that God has spoken to him. He tries to convince everyone that he is sincere but he keeps running into the brick wall of his own blighted past at every turn. Of course, even in his holy state, the man can't resist the temptation to exploit his own holiness for reasons that would be frowned upon in a man really courting saintliness. This, it seems, would be ideal material for LaBute, who has a way of getting inside the heads of some pretty unpleasant people. But the complexity of the play is still in the author's head; what is on stage needs serious fleshing out."
LA Splash
- Highly Recommended
"...Writer Neil Labute is a master at writing male characters that are both confrontational and morally ambiguous. The John Smith character in The Break of Noon is no exception. Jo Bonney directs Kevin Anderson in a performance that is equally despicable and inspiring. The entire supporting cast of Chimo, Dent and Jelks really shines while performing double duty in two distinctly different roles each."
Stage Scene LA
- Highly Recommended
"...Some have criticized LaBute's latest as "underthought" or "problematic," and while it is indeed true that one leaves the theater wondering what it was all about, this is one case where individual scenes (each virtually its own short one-act) and performances are so powerful as to make negative adjectives like the above come across as nitpicking. I may not be able to tell you what John Smith's story means, but seeing and hearing it told so thrillingly not only makes for a rewarding evening of theater, but provides endless food for conversation and thought-and how many plays can you say that about'"
StageHappenings.com
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Unfortunately, the questions that haunt us as we exit the theatre are not the ones we should be thinking about. No doubt the creators hope that we will question Smith's motives behind his new-found faith: instead, we end up questioning the motives of the writer, director and the actors."
Examiner
- Not Recommended
"...Since neither the plot nor the characters evoke much empathy, or even interest, the question is moot. The viewer is left at the end feeling puzzled, unsatisfied, and in a sense, cheated."
Socal
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The faith-meets-fame theme of Labute's new play is an interesting concept to explore. However, a combination of ironically "Uninspiring" direction and distracting tech elements cripple the world premiere of LaBute's latest play."
OC Register
- Somewhat Recommended
"...But "The Break of Noon" is ultimately several degrees too manipulative for its own good. Smith's encounters (each of the play's six central scenes features him with one other person) degenerate into confrontations, for the most part, and seem designed to bring his obvious flaws to the fore. We get it, Neil: This guy is a lout."
TheatreTimes.org
- Recommended
"...The Break of Noon is the fourth of LaBute's plays to be staged by the Geffen, and the first to reach its main stage. One hopes audiences take the ride in the spirit intended. It may seem to end up where it started, but these plays work in mysterious ways."
