"Mr. Pamatmat has compelling ideas about human psychology and dramatic structure, but the completed play, under Ralph B. Peña’s somewhat busy direction, doesn’t always serve them well. Despite the talent and magnetism of the actors, the characters and their relationships can too often feel like constructs rather than fully realized men and women, though there are sometimes flashes of surprising truth, particularly in the sibling interactions."
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"Despite the procession of largely banal emotional revelations, 'House Rules' remains watchable, largely because a skillful cast works at downplaying the characters' often-immature, self-pitying characteristics...In the end, 'House Rules' feels like the work of a writer who, having made a discovery, rushes to tell the world about it, unaware that it is already common knowledge...The play has little that is new to add to the conversation."
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"A talented and engaging cast...Though the technical and theatrical aspects of this production are undoubtedly successful, the message of this story is somehow lost along the way...This heartfelt family story devolves into a set of characters with clichéd motivations and almost no character growth; characters who are far too often put into storylines which never receive that oh-so-satisfying payoff that differentiates an exceptional theatrical experience from the ordinary."
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"Ralph B Pena direction is sharp, swift and fun...The cast is fierce and unstoppable. A. Rey Pamatmat's play is a web of love and conflict between cultures, and parents and children, that is never sentimental or schmaltzy, but funny and unapologetic. The play’s arguments are at times repetitive and the fights and feelings the characters have towards one another are sometimes clunky, unclear and occasionally incomplete, but I’ve found that is often the case in true family dynamics."
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"Mr. Pamatmat has taken on a great deal in his new play and the conglomerate of plots and subplots prevents the satisfying resolution of any of them. The audience never really gets to know the characters on any deep level and that makes it difficult to connect with them...This is not the fault of the ensemble cast members that genuinely seem to be invested in their characters’ development. Unfortunately, Mr. Peña’s frenetic direction sacrifices depth for surface histrionics."
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"The playwright presents the characters in crisp three dimensions so that the audience understands and pulls for them no matter how unpleasantly they behave among themselves before breaking through. The message not necessarily new but carefully served here is that familial love isn’t easy, and neither is romantic love...Every one of the players does commendably by the taut script...Well done by all."
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"Where the set is reminiscent of a game board, the characters not only play regular board games, they indulge in a lot of head games. Peña’s direction keeps this game going at a fast-paced clip. The cast is uniformly good with Ms. Katigbak getting some of the best lines. Mr. Pamatmat’s script is witty, with fleshed out characters. By the end of the play we not only know who these people are but we can relate to at least one of the issues brought forth. There is a lot of truth in this play."
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"'House Rules' is an ensemble dramatic comedy with an exuberant amount of heart and truth...Pamatmat has crafted a beautiful family play. The relationships are genuine. The struggles are true...Pamatmat crafted a very specific piece of theater. It was exceptionally cinematic in structure...'House Rules' is a strong story about family that was smartly executed. A. Rey Pamatmat and Ma-Yi Theater Company have something special on their hands."
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