Los Angeles Times - Recommended
"...Graf, whose works to date ("American Girl," "Please Don't Ask About Becket") have dealt with serious issues of terrorism and family pathology, displays a surprisingly nimble knack for comedy. And while "Elephants" is hardly the stuff of deathless drama, it's certainly serviceable entertainment that's good for plenty of smiles and a few good laughs on the road to Mandalay."
Broadway World - Somewhat Recommended
"...The 90-minute one-act romantic comedy is patterned after the films that propelled Meg Ryan to stardom in the eighties and nineties, and even borrows some well-known phrases from When Harry Met Sally, modified slightly to fit the characters' current situation. "It's out there" and "you're the only person I knew in New York" (in this case, Myanmar) were most likely meant to sound cute but the humor falls flat in a play that is already dated before it begins."
LA Splash - Highly Recommended
"...And let's not forget the two actors who make Jane and Alex come alive – happily displaying a chemistry consistent with Graf's passionate love story that almost doesn't happen. UNEMPLOYED ELEPHANTS manages to join romance, laughs, and far-flung fantasies into a potpourri of chuckles. But let's not forget the serious side of this journey. Although the play is set in 2015, two years before the ethnic cleansing of the country's indigenous Rohingya, it does briefly touch on the beginnings of the tragedy. You political activists might like to take a peek. This is a must-see production for a dating couple, but it will also charm its way into even the stoniest of hearts as it craftily sneaks up on you."
Stage Scene LA - Highly Recommended
"...Playwright Wendy Graf proves herself as adept at the romcom two-hander as she is at her dark, dramatic solo pieces in Unemployed Elephants - A Love Story, a Victory Theatre World Premiere sparked by Maria Gobetti's deft direction and a couple of couldn't-be-better leads."
Will Call - Recommended
"...Jane, the lovely Bee, is on her own on this trip, which would have been her honeymoon if some cad hadn't ditched her. Alex (McCabe) is tall, with black hair and blue eyes, a dry wit and a slight air of mystery about him. He must be taken with a few grins of well seasoned salt as he tells her he's on assignment from Animal Planet for a possible TV feature. She has a cynical side but also a vulnerable one which is served well by the snappy dialogue penned by Wendy Graf, a deservedly successful playwright (see program bio). If you're a theatre lover and, of course, you are, you've applauded her work on many occasions as you will, most certainly at this world premiere."
NoHoArtsDistrict - Highly Recommended
"..."Unemployed Elephants" is fast-paced, fantastic, funny, smart and an ABSOLUTE must, must, must see! I'm not kidding, see this one if you see nothing else this season. It'll be the best show you've seen in years. When "Unemployed Elephants" is nominated, winning awards the world over, you'll get bragging rights for having been one of the first to have discovered it. Too much? I don't think so. There aren't enough accolades to bestow on this laugh ‘til your sides ache play to do it justice."
Stage Raw - Highly Recommended
"...Wendy Graf's Unemployed Elephants-A Love Story sets a romantic comedy against a complicated socio-political backdrop in a way that is both satisfying and awkward. The ambiguity of the story's context ultimately adds some depth to the characters' perspectives, and while the two leads walk a fine line between tone deafness and charm, their performances are honest and the show's humor indisputable."
On Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...But, the two have a charming rapport and sufficient chemistry, and the 90 minutes breezes by easily. With the exception of a few outlandish details, these characters are relatable, as is the feeling of uncharacteristic spontaneity that can sometimes result from traveling outside your comfort zone, both literally and metaphorically. If you're looking for an amusing, easy-to-watch romantic comedy, Unemployed Elephants is time well spent."
Los Angeles Post-Examiner - Recommended
"...In the end Unemployed Elephants is a fascinating often hilarious love story mixed in with a dose of powerful global politics. Such a mix, love and chaos, is absolutely not mutually exclusive and is well blended in this show."
