"It often exudes an uncanny beauty and emotionalism that evoke the state of hellish pain and holy wonder in which its title character existed. It helps that van Gogh is embodied by the actor Carter Hudson...'Van Gogh’s Ear' can initially come across as too consciously and carefully 'artistic'...But the thoughtfulness that infuses every aspect of Mr. Sanders’s production — and the committed skill of its performers and designers — soon wears down your resistance."
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"The show ties events in the troubled Dutch artist's life to some of the most arresting music of his age. It's less a play with music than it is a concert with elements of theatricality...Hudson entrances us with his observations of light and color, like a badass Bob Ross. Bengali's vibrant projections, all of which are drawn from van Gogh's own paintings, further illustrate his words...A dreamlike (if a bit sleepy) staging...There are few lovelier ways to spend 100 minutes."
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"Offers some stunning musical performances, attractive visuals—and nothing remotely like drama...Wolf's script does very little to illuminate Van Gogh's life...No real attempt has been made to forge a character, and, as played by Hudson, Van Gogh often sounds like an aggrieved 21st-century American millennial...So dramatically pale are these passages that they practically vanish next to the music, which is ravishing throughout...It has its charms—but, really, I'd much rather see a play."
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"If nothing else, the production is a unique exegesis on the creative vision and deteriorating mental health of van Gogh toward the end of his life...The connections among the three art forms that are being presented here are not readily apparent, or at least they weren't to this theatergoer. It does help that Carter Hudson as Vincent and Chad Johnson as Theo manage to humanize the brothers beyond what you might expect from a presentation based on excerpts from letters."
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"While the two hours do indeed offer many pleasures in terms of script, staging and music, the epistolary setup didn't work all that well here...nor did the casting decisions or Sanders' direction for Vincent during the musical interludes...For classical chamber music and lieder fans the playing and singing will be a not-to-be-missed treat...Carter Hudson doesn't exactly have a cakewalk as Vincent...Sanders has directed Hudson to do everything possible to ratchet up van Gogh's crazy side."
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“There is more emotional weight within eight measures of Debussy's String Quartet in G minor than in Eva Wolf's entire ‘Van Gogh's Ear’ at the Signature Center. Same for the French chansons performed during the play by singers portraying characters intimately associated with Vincent. All of the quotations from Vincent Van Gogh's diaries and letters that make up about half the play's two hour running time fall flat as delivered by the leaden Carter Hudson who moves about as if sleepwalking.”
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"More dramatized concert/multimedia exhibition than traditional play...While aesthetically pleasing, I often found myself drifting away from the story...Nevertheless, it does a great job conveying a sense of the romantic desperation of the haunted character...If you are an aficionado of classical chamber music and might enjoy a dynamic exhibition of Van Gogh's painting, you'll be thoroughly satisfied by this show. But those looking for traditional dramatic structure...may be less satisfied."
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"An ode to the exquisite paintings but minimal insights into the life of Vincent van Gogh...The beauty of the van Gogh art is cleverly projected as backdrop...Wonderful highlights that accessorize the beauty of the music...I’m of the mind that the addition of dialogue between characters might enhance this production as would a shortened presentation...If you are a fan of classical music brilliantly played, then you’ll enjoy the uniqueness and creativity of how it is artfully shared."
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