The Totality of All Things Reviews
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...All hell breaks loose in an Indiana town when a swastika is found spray-painted on a classroom bulletin board celebrating the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in Erik Gernand's The Totality Of All Things, a discussion-provoking, expectations-defying, Road Theatre Company West Coast Premiere."
ArtsBeatLA- Somewhat Recommended
"...Morgan's Rule #1 about theater reads thusly: When a play doesn't work, ninety-five percent of the time it's due to the writing. Sure, sometimes an actor doesn't quite connect with a part, or some direction is ineffective, but the vast majority of the time the problem is the play itself. And without a solid foundation of great writing, it's almost impossible to create a successful production. After twenty-six years of reviewing shows, I have some idea what I might reasonably expect, pro and con. The new play at The Road Theatre, the west coast premiere of Erik Gernand's The Totality of All Things, is a good production with a talented ensemble, but it also disappointed me in a way I wasn't prepared for."
Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended
"...But ' what promises to develop into a compelling drama that speaks to the myopia that afflicts so many of us on either side soon segues, under Taylor Nichols's direction, into a sapless rendering of conflicting perspectives. Some of the staging doesn't serve the play ' there are moments that should reflect familiarity or intimacy where actors merely face each other or stand purposelessly at a distance."
Ticket Holders LA- Somewhat Recommended
"...What the decidedly well-meaning All Things has going for it is a highly intriguing script and a smashing ensemble cast, but there are also definite problems, most glaring among them what appears to be a somnambulant directorial hand and, far more importantly, a message that seems tone deaf in our agonizingly troubled times."
Larchmont Buzz- Recommended
"...The Totality of All Things, by Eric Gernand, finds true meaning. It?s not always comfortable, but it?s always thoughtful and ultimately satisfying. The play, making its West Coast premiere, was developed at The Road last year, as part of the company?s Summer Playwrights Festival. It is timely and, as directed by Taylor Nichols, searing."
Broadway World- Highly Recommended
"...Director Taylor Nichols keeps the tone and the pacing on point, as the story gets traction and the characters and their relationships start to fracture. He could have easily allowed the energy to turn frantic, or even melodramatic, but he has a steady hand, allowing things to spiral without seeming like anything is out of control."