“Staged with great style and verve... Even trimmed to manageable size, Henry VI is a serious investment of time and energy in what boils down to some very sketchy English folks squabbling over a round bit of metal. Even so, I never tired of NAATCO’s appealing, expert ensemble as it navigated the twisty chronicles.””

“That our focus holds for this (very rarely wearying) marathon is in large part due to the boundlessly creative, perpetually smart direction by Stephen Brown-Fried. Each of the many battle sequences somehow feels unique. Amazingly, no stage pictures ever seem to recur. Swift transitions add momentum to what could, in other hands, be numbing.”

“The standout in these productions is the absolutely fantastic staging, which lends an intensity and excitement to the plays that might otherwise have been lacking. The highly stylized combination of set, lighting, costumes and sound all coalesce to transport the audience into the 100 Years War (mid-15th century), with surprising ease. ... It’s a shame this magnificent production isn’t slated to run several weeks longer than it is. ... Word of mouth will undoubtedly draw more and more fans of the genre, providing a rare experience of a thrilling and beautifully produced examination of Shakespeare’s earliest historical dramas.”

“Creatively conceived by Stephen Brown-Fried and superbly directed by him, his Orson Welles-like vision transcends the difficult material. This sterling production is also an inspired example of American actors succeeding at Shakespeare”