"At its most affecting, it's a memoir of Washington's parents' perseverance and muted pain in a culture warped by racism...The show attempts — but, for an adult audience, doesn’t achieve — a tricky tonal balance between childish memories and poignant later realization...Washington slips nimbly in and out of characters, each voice and accent clearly defined...The surface of Washington's story is far less compelling than what's underneath, and this play doesn't delve deep enough."
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"Washington has a storyteller's gift for animating her tale with lively and distinct impersonations of people from her past, and her easygoing delivery has a way of making us feel like we're taking part in a story-time hour. That endearing aspect of the show makes Washington a pleasure to watch, but over the course of 80 minutes, her story does not deliver the meaty dramatic morsel that would have transformed this 'Dragon' from a well-performed memoir into a compelling work of theater."
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"Consists of delightful reminiscences that bring to life NY in all its gritty midcentury glory...So entertaining are these stories, and so adept is Washington at telling them, with her warm personality and faultless timing, that it may take you some time to notice that 'Feeding the Dragon' isn't headed anywhere..The absence of drama is apparent in the last quarter when the lack of urgency is rather keenly felt. Still, under the direction of Mileaf, Washington is, for the most part, excellent company."
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"A natural born storyteller, Washington's sensitive, graceful recollections make for a lovely experience but one that would make more sense as an audiobook or a one-on-one conversation...Has inventive directorial touches...As the narrative tries to find its dramatic arc the play becomes lost in itself...Such a great actress that she often pulls off the moments that feel trite...With a more focused approach, the tonal shifts in the show would compliment, rather than compete with each other."
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"Washington is compelled to talk as candidly as she knows how about the complicated life she led with her parents...She recalls good times and bad...Washington sees and lives the magic but also stresses the harsh grounding all but the luckiest children inevitably encounter...Moving confidently about the stage and sometimes even dancing under Maria Mileaf's capable direction, she's a welcome guide to the recognizable duality."
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"Engaging, if meandering...Washington's library stories are the theatrical equivalent of a page-turner...But when Washington leaves the confines of the library, 'Feeding the Dragon' starts to stray...As it is, 'Dragon' leaves so many questions unanswered...Washington is an honest, appealing performer who cultivates an easy, genuine rapport with the audience. As a writer, she simply seems less comfortable in the fairy-tale oeuvre."
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"Under the assured direction of Maria Mileaf in a production which started at the Hartford Stage earlier, Sharon Washington is a captivating and entertaining presence both as she narrates her story and also gives commentary and hints of her life since then. Told with the innocence of childhood, 'Feeding the Dragon' also will enchant readers and nostalgia buffs alike, for the world that she describes does not exist anymore now that libraries are high tech places ruled by computers."
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"Washington grabs our attention immediately...While much of it is charming and a good deal is touching, the piece overall is diffuse, at 90 minutes, slightly overlong...The affectionate dignity of Washington's performance safeguards the text from turning cute or precious. And she's adept at channeling characters...What makes this presentation noteworthy is the verisimilitude of the playwright's measured but theatrical interpretation of her own writing."
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