International Falls at Nox Arca Theatre

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Director Cody Lucas guides the actors to drama rather than having comedy mask sorrow. By committing more to the comedic elements and toying with timing, pacing, and tension, Lucas and his cast could have let the tragedy accidentally slip out in cringeworthy pauses. This doesn't happen, and the result is a show that remains static rather than transcendent. Higgins and Weigle are great dramatic actors who easily enrapture the audience. Comedy takes time and timing, and over the coming weeks, it's likely that the stand-up segments will earn their punch lines."

Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended

"...Set in a Holiday Inn hotel room in International Falls, Minnesota, traveling comedian Tim has come to the end of the road while front desk clerk Dee wants to escape her life. Together they explore the use of comedy to mask their sadness and express their pain."

Chicago On Stage - Recommended

"...International Falls is a poignant and powerful play. It does not shout loudly, but in its own quiet way it reflects the turmoil in people's daily lives that form the basis for our more dramatic moments. It is a compelling character study of two people stuck in a frozen northern Minnesota winter at a bitter crossroad in their lives. Sadly, it mirrors life, in which happy endings are never guaranteed, in a much more familiar way than any uplifting musical could ever hope to."

Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended

"...Unfortunately, for this reviewer, the Nox Arca Theatre is not accommodating to the performance. As you want and expect in such a small venue (50 attendees max), the performers are not mic'd. But they did not project and were drowned out by the large window air conditioner in the rear. Chairs are set on the floor and on small platforms. The site angles are okay for the upstage bed scenes, but for those down stage, you often saw nothing without physical gyrations."