Chicago Tribune
- Highly Recommended
"...If you go, expect a slow burn but plenty of flames, from which it becomes increasingly difficult to look away. The incident I detailed above is a backdrop, mostly, or maybe not; either way, "A Slow Air" is not so much a study of terrorism as one of division or alienation, which is of course relevant. The fascinating thing about this play is how well the writer teases out such themes from what really feels like an ordinary, working-class conversation among two Scots, carrying scars but maybe (only maybe) also some hunger for unity. In U.K. terms, of course, that has further resonance."
Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...Steep artistic director Peter Moore and ensemble member Kendra Thulin star as middle-aged siblings Athol and Morna in the play's Chicago premiere. Estranged for the past 14 years, the two Scots reflect on what's driven them apart in alternating monologues, never making eye contact or directly addressing each other-an effective staging choice that underscores the distance between them."
Stage and Cinema
- Highly Recommended
"..."Estrangement" is an unfriendly word that carries with it all kinds of negative connotations-hostility, alienation, distrust, anger and, somewhat paradoxically, very often confusion. It's also a word that many people are ashamed of or are uncomfortable talking about; especially when it's a part of their own lives. This makes David Harrower's deeply absorbing play, A Slow Air, so unexpected and oddly welcome. Harrower, a native Scot, wrote the play over a decade ago. It tells the story of a brother and sister from Edinburgh, living entirely disconnected lives in the city where they were born. Through his narrative, we are taken inside their minds and present circumstances to uncover the reasons behind their schism while measuring the personal toll this estrangement has taken on each of them."
Buzz Center Stage
- Recommended
"...It is no easy task to carry such an emotional play - especially with the added challenge of no breaks and only speaking in monologues to the audience. However, Thulin and Moore rise to the challenge with ease. The performances are genuine, and Harrower's exploration of the relationship feels authentic and thoughtful. Family can be tough, and sometimes, the path to healing can take time - a journey that many in the audience are likely to understand."
MaraTapp.org
- Recommended
"...Playwright David Harrower's A Slow Air is not an epic play but it is an insightful portrait of the complexities of family, with a particular focus on the people who make up a family and the way they interact - or don't. It is the sort of intense piece at which Steep succeeds. For that reason, as well as the fine acting by two of its ensemble members, A Slow Air is the ticket to a worthy evening."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...This is acting at a very high level, go see this play! The playwright has crafted and the actors- Peter Moore as Athol and Kendra Thulin as Morna- have embraced and grown into 2 characters who are the distilled essence of their culture and ethos. Of course, it’s also a story- the tale of a brother and sister who have separated and come back together through their joint and separate love of a child. More than this, it’s a piece of artwork, a demonstration of the power of interpretive language- verbally and bodily.”"
