The Play's the Thing at Theatre 40 at The Reuben Cordova Theatre

LA Splash - Highly Recommended

"...Originally a 1924 Hungarian play by Ferenc Molnar titled "Play at the Castle," THE PLAY'S THE THING has seen several iterations - but has always remained a clever and often side-splitting study of manners from nearly 100 years ago. Adapted into English by P.G. Wodehouse, the play premiered in 1926 in New York with a new title inspired by Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (Act 2, Scene 2). In fact, this was the first time THE PLAY'S THE THING was produced anywhere in any language. In 1928, the piece debuted in London and became a smash hit. Audiences have laughed long and hard over the years - and now THE PLAY'S THE THING is poised to entertain Theatre 40 audiences."

Stage Scene LA - Not Recommended

"...Director Melanie MacQueen would have done well to cut significant chunks from The Play's The Thing's midsection, and to have Leslie and Robb pick up the pace throughout. (The production clocks in at two hours and twenty minutes which is at least twenty minutes long for the romp this one purports to be.)"

Showmag - Highly Recommended

"...Theatre 40 is on a roll. Each play they produce is funnier than the last, and their latest, The Play's The Thing, is no exception. Cleverly directed by Melanie McQueen, the nearly 100-year old play glistens anew due to the collective efforts of the designers and actors assembled by David Hunt Stafford."

Stage Raw - Somewhat Recommended

"...The attempts at comedy in the early scenes of The Play's the Thing, or its original incarnation, may have been effective for a more innocent audience of almost 100 years ago, but are just not witty or clever enough for a modern sensibility."

Larchmont Buzz - Recommended

"...The Play's the Thing is from 1926 and adapted from a 1924 Hungarian play. So yes, it's dated, but also charming. It features a sticky romantic situation, a wild solution and plenty of bon mots. The protagonist is a successful librettist, Sandor (Daniel Leslie), the romantic partners his nephew and composer Albert (Eric Keitel) and his prima donna fiancee Ilona (Kristin Towers Rowles).The men, accompanied by their collaborator Mansky (Michael Robb), arrive late at night at a castle on the Italian Riviera and gather in Sandor's room. Ilona returns from an outing to her room next door; through the surprisingly thin castle walls Albert and the others hear her in conversation with the married Almady (Todd Andrew Ball). Almady is making a move and Ilona's response seems, to her fiance, insufficiently brusque. A broken engagement could be on the horizon."