“…for all of our familiarity with each other’s culture, even given our co-mingled DNA, the Brits are still sometimes surprised by our emotionally based naturalism. The goal of creating the illusion of “voyeurism” for the viewer that our art traffics in is still, it seemed to me by their almost amazed reaction to our efforts, something they don’t often or perhaps even naturally “go after” in their theatre. Literally, flocks of twenty-something, native-born theatre students were singular in their reaction of how “foreign” and “exciting” the ensemble-based naturalism was to them. This is not about any boast of something we can do that they can’t. Lord knows their artists can and do achieve any and every sublime height that we ever have or could and usually outrace us instantly in verse-based work. It’s simply that I was reminded of a British theatrical art whose deep ties to verse lead to somewhat different and more presentational ends.”

– Jeff Perry on the Steppenwolf blog on the British reaction to AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY in London