The Normal Child

The writing is superb and is outdone only by the spectacular performances. HIGHLY recommend. I was on the edge of my seat!... full review

Two excellent performances. Efficient staging. Enjoyable show. ... full review

From the moment one enters the theater, this production grabs hold and doesn't let go. I won't spoil the effect, but the simple design is gripping, haunting, and engaging. The performances are top notch. The star of the show is the text. I was captivated and amused by the opening speech. I was not prepared for the journey I was taken on in this 45 minute experience. I hope other outings I will make at the festival are as satisfying and rewarding as this one.... full review

This was a phenomenally written and acted piece, and the set pieces are both simple and rather jaw-dropping! This is one that will stay with you - definitely worth seeing!... full review

Very well written and excellently performed. The play was an enjoyable theatre experience.... full review

What a beautifully acted gem of a play. Great use of theatricality. Great fresh ideas. Theater that makes you think! Thank you Phillip Brock for writing smart theater. And Amanda Weir and Rob Nagle shine in these roles. ... full review

The Normal Child. This review first appeared on ArtsBeatLA.com. Review by Pauline Adamek. A homegrown product of the fine LA-based theatre company, Open Fist, Philip Brocks’ play The Normal Child is an intriguing one. As you enter the space, you are confronted by a startling sight – a woman sitting on a chair, each leg of the chair balanced upon the top of a whiskey flagon, each flagon precariously balanced upon a stack of books. Meanwhile, some ambient music by Brian Eno ethereally wafts through the dimly lit theatre, enhancing the surrealist spectacle. Brocks’ two-hander play is set in rural Louisiana, with voices occasionally representing menacing Southern characters offstage. Brocks presents a dialogue between a habitu... full review