Charolais NYC Reviews and Tickets

“This darkly comic…monologue of sex, jealousy, childbirth, and death amidst the human and bovine residents of a hardscrabble Irish farm…stands out mainly for Stapleton's striking performance as she navigates the humorous and serious peaks and valleys of this rural terrain where everyone speaks in such bog-thick accents you can literally see the mud dripping off their vowels. Stapleton…remains completely invested in her dramatic world,…heaving her heifer's heftiness about with polished grace.”
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"'Charolais' is a rare thing, a whip-smart play masquerading as a simple story. Sweetly written and performed by Noni Stapleton, 'Charolais' is the tale of a love triangle of an Irish lass, a Charolais cow and the sweet farm boy that loves them both. What is a woman to do when faced with a bovine competitor and an overbearing almost-mother-in-law? Writer Noni Stapleton has some ideas that are funny, touching and a little scary."
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“Directed with a sure hand by Barbre Ní Chaoimh that favors simplicity over showboating, Stapleton is a master of the bemused eye roll, winning sympathy with a frankness that recalls Richard III’s ability to turn spectators into accomplices. The play kicks into comic high gear, however, when Stapleton lets her own blond hair down and becomes Charolais…The funny, ultimately moving play has much more on its mind than drawing easy parallels between the two.”
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"Love is messy, and Stapleton does a great job of showing us exactly how absurd the nature of who we fall for is...Stapleton creates a character that is both funny and heartbreaking...This is an impressive production. Every part is essential, and every aspect is in capable hands...Fishamble creates theatrical experiences that push the boundaries of what’s accepted as the norm, and I can only be so grateful for that."
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"The Charolais is surprisingly well-heeled and emotive. It’s a funny and charming counterpoint to the rest of the story...Stapleton’s writing is full of personality and good humor. It’s wonderful to listen to her brogue as she passes her judgments...She can be captivating when the story turns serious, but it doesn’t stay that way long...There’s a lot of character and a surprising amount of story in a deceptively small package. Stapleton’s script and her performance are both top-notch."
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“A dark comedy overflowing with laughter and tears, built around a stunning, one-woman performance…Ni Chaoimh directs with a light but definite touch, letting Stapleton display her considerable talent while ensuring pace never falters, marrying dramatic urgency to an exquisite sense of comic timing...A tragically funny tale, ‘Charolais’ will have you laughing out loud while breaking your heart. Throughout it all Stapleton is irresistible, delivering a tour-de-force performance not to be missed.”
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“Digging up the dark pastures of rural Ireland, Stapleton conveys the fears of isolation and repressed emotion that sometimes makes romance difficult…Stapleton's themes of lust and loneliness have so imaginative a range as to cross species…After the action reaches a striking and violent conclusion, there is a sense of new life in a depraved place. Artfully, Stapleton's play is just as pastoral in bringing land and people together.”
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“Stapleton has created a splendid script…Noni Stapleton as performer and writer has created a triumph. She is entitled to be very proud of ‘Charolais,’ but also the direction of Bairbre ni Caoimh is to be lauded as it energizes the entire script…‘Charolais’ is great theatre, no more need be said.”
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