Stage and Cinema
- Highly Recommended
"...When I walked into the very small and incredibly intimate Broadwater Studio Theatre, I immediately thought about Sam Shepard's Fool for Love, about a couple of loners looking to connect, given the small, Western-style motel room designed by Joel Daavid. But the world premiere of Shem Bitterman's The Civil Twilight, directed with emotional insight and depth by Ann Hearn Tobolowsky, is clearly about two very different people in a seedy motel room. Aside from Shepard, this is the most Shepard-like play I have ever seen."
LA Splash
- Highly Recommended
"...Skillfully helmed by Tobolowsky, THE CIVIL TWILIGHT slowly and carefully ratchets up the suspense as the pair starts to chip away at each other with innocuous questions which lead to more questions - and some surprising and frightening answers. Gilbert and Miller do a superb job of gradually stripping away their outer facades to reach the innermost level of what makes them tick. Trapped together in a raging storm, the two strangers will soon find out that all is not what it seems."
Stage Scene LA
- Highly Recommended
"...Two strangers seeking refuge in a dingy motel room reveal their deepest, darkest secrets to riveting effect in The Civil Twilight, Shem Bitterman's lollapalooza of a two-hander now getting a brilliantly acted World Premiere at the Broadwater Studio Theatre."
LA Theatrix
- Somewhat Recommended
"...On another night, the performances may be stronger and the twists and turns in the story will land more effectively. In the end, the show is provocative and at times entertaining, although perhaps not for the reasons the playwright intended."
Showmag
- Highly Recommended
"...Shem Bitterman’s intriguing play Civil Twilight has been running for more than a month, but now it extends into the New Year, to everyone’s benefit. This perfect two-hander pits celebrity against fandom in an interesting way that sheds light, not only on the human condition, but on the nature of the media circus we’re now living in. Even as I just referred to our present media environment, though, Civil Twilight seems to hark back to a simpler time, when radio held sway of “fly-over country.”"
Stage Raw
- Highly Recommended
"...Presented in a particularly tiny space, this world premiere packs a powerful punch while establishing
an admirable sense of intimacy. The production is an example of how dynamic theater can be achieved under some of the most restrictive conditions. In this case, the small space has been cleverly outfitted and is utilized to maximum effect."
Ticket Holders LA
- Highly Recommended
"...Although it's not a traditional thriller, the world premiere of PEN USA and LADCC Award-winner Shem Bitterman's inherently spooky and even sinister new play The Civil Twilight truly put me on the edge of my seat."
Broadway World
- Highly Recommended
"...In THE CIVIL TWILIGHT, Bitterman makes a compelling case for blind faith, for a need for the world (and the people within it) to be a certain way. John Pine is selling this faith to hundreds of thousands of people across the airwaves. Ann is a buyer and, as she assures her idol, "I ain't the only one." On a stormy night, the bill comes due, and L.A. theatergoers reap the benefits of watching it all play out."
