"This two-hander is a haunting play that is wonderfully staged and features excellent acting. It is truly a distinctive piece of theatre, perfect for the intimate setting of the Upper East Side stage... See this intriguing play. It is a cautionary tale that you will think about long after the curtain call."
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"'The Widow of Tom’s Hill' hinges on the core of human nature when tragedy strikes and what is worth fighting for. As individuals face desperation and are forced to make difficult choices, their true colors emerge, and may cause heartbreak and pain to those who loved them the most... Captivating, alluring and powerful, 'The Widow of Tom’s Hill' opens the mind and shines a light on human motives and expectations."
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"This amazing two-hander creeps up, takes insidious hold, and keeps one riveted in sympathy, horror, and surprise. Playwright Aleks Merilo’s naturally poetic style serves the truth of her characters...When it rises, romanticism is the result of simple, uncultured observation. Her characters are intricately drawn, economically expressive, and unnervingly real...This is a powerful and affecting piece. Brava."
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"Merilo’s story is fascinating...To care about both characters proportionately is a testament to Merilo, director Rachel Black Spaulding, and the two exceptional actors...Spaulding created a world that was stimulating and captivating...Aleks Merilo’s script goes beyond the surface of a history play. It’s rich in imagery with a brilliant study of character and mortality."
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"Both Lavely and Grabner give extremely strong performances, aided by their fantastic chemistry on stage…The heightened dramatic moments remained realistic as well. What the well-blocked scenes and honed acting skills could not make up for, however, was a slight lack of background information…A touch more cohesiveness would not hurt, but overall 'The Widow of Tom’s Hill' is an enticing piece of theatre."
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"'The Widow of Tom’s Hill' is an ambitious work with plenty of suspense and an overarching sense of impending disaster. Up to the epilogue that doesn’t enhance it, the play has plenty of tension and a nice arc. Mr. Merilo is a writer we’ll hear more from."
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"Both actors’ appearance suited very much their roles and their bodies were equally engaged in their characterization. During the first half of the performance there was some sort of rhythmic imbalance between them, and there were moments when bigger pauses were felt necessary...'The Widow of Tom’s Hill' addresses topics which are both timeless and timely."
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