Press

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING:

"A wonderfully vital, energetic and beautifully produced performance… this exquisite rendering of the story of two verbal sparring partners who become lovers delivers immense rewards.”

“This production is just great… obviously directed with capacity and vision”

"The direction and staging are impeccable… with simple but inventive sets by Yi Hsuan Ma, and with a cast that is clearly motivated and given inspiration by the great direction of Emma Rosa Went… lively, fun, beautifully executed" - Boston Arts Diary

"There is a gem of a Shakespeare production being performed outdoors on Deer Isle…the director and lively crew are offering a laugh-out-loud production of Much Ado About Nothing… A truly funny love story. This is the best Shakespeare production I have attended. It is well worth the trip." — Bangor Daily News

GALLATHEA:

"… a stunning transformation of Lyly’s Gallathea, a love story that was, in this production, queer even to the end” -Shakespeare Bulletin Vol. 39 (John Hopkins’ University Press)

FEMALE NUDE SEATED:

“emotionally rich…organic and natural…under the direction of Emma Rosa Went, their interactions feel intimate and real. Though this was billed as a “reading,” Went and her cast have clearly explored the text and the relationship in great detail, which is what makes this so engaging.”-Gay City News

“In their faces, I could see the catalytic moment when the two receptacles —character and actor, canvas and frame, language and motion, past and future — merge and become one light.” -GOMag

OLD NAMES FOR WILDFLOWERS:

"Director Emma Rosa Went stokes the fires in the bellies of the characters to set the old paradigms aflame. She lets no moment go unexplored… There is clear evidence of intensive character exploration and she slows down time to let the weight of the moment sit heavily on us. Her work is marvelously detailed and completely absorbing." 

"It’s a monumental work. A colossal saga..."

"...like a memory from a past life. Like the smell of jasmine through an open window...."

"The play is a powerful statement on survival and the qualities of those individuals who are able to overcome extreme odds to triumphantly stand in their light." -Stage Biz

"Sometimes a play rips open a scab that never fully healed to reveal the raw, still-throbbing wound beneath. Old Names for Wildflowers does just this, and with the kind of tenderness that makes you believe in the possibilities of flowers bursting out of wreckage." -Ran Xia, Theatre Is Easy

MOTH&FLAME:

"Went's direction is clear and sharp; stylized hand gestures and particular poses seemed reminiscent of the type of painting the two characters practiced..." 
 
-Audrey Moyce, Culturebot

OTHELLO:

"The highlight here was the thoughtful direction (Emma Rosa Went) and some very strong performances..."

"it worked really well; the hubbub of bar patrons in the next room, which normally might distract under different circumstances, actually added appropriate diagetic sound, which kept me in the place throughout. The actors tramped about the room, using the tables and chairs, seamlessly weaving in and out of the audience, allowing us all to be extras."

-Manhattan Tour & Travel (Easy Leap 2013)