NOW Toronto Magazine ★★★★
Alix Sobler’s moving and intelligent play gives context and voice to a handful of the disaster’s victims, as well as some survivors. And the storytelling approach she uses makes the play more intriguing than a straight chronological account.
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The London Times ★★★★
“Tough, confrontational, with a self-conscious, Brechtian theatricality, it’s unapologetically didactic. Yet its relevance to modern industrial exploitation and the mass movement of people has a fierce urgency…”
“This is richly informative theatre — with a passion that’s almost incendiary.”
Exeunt Magazine
“Sobler’s writing is emotionally destructive; the words shatter through any wall the audience can construct to shield themselves. Exposing; intense; searing; they burn brightly and comes out of nowhere like an inferno.”
“The cleansing power of fire erases many of the facts, but Sobler ensures that the script leaves its mark upon all those who bear witness.”
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Reviews Hub ★★★★
“Sobler’s writing is angry and compassionate, but she finds room for humour and touching romance.”
“Sobler’s point is that the suffering and sacrifices of her imagined characters in this real but perhaps forgotten tragedy advanced the movement towards social change. Her play is a powerful and passionate reminder that small lives can make a big difference.”
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Jewish Renaissance ★★★★ – Beautifully-imagined lives reclaimed from the flames
“Such is the power of Alix Sobler’s storytelling and the lyrical intensity of director Rory McGregor’s cast that there is little need for much more.”
“Sobler and her company succeed in giving back beautifully-imagined full lives and identities to these long-dead young women and men.”
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London Pub Theatres ★★★★
“Seamless performances and thought-provoking writing”
“Lauded playwright Alix Sobler skilfully weaves human stories into the politics of the play and whilst maintaining its historical context, “The Great Divide” manages to make a powerful statement about the lack of workers’ rights today.”
“The Great Divide” packs a lot in but it does so with sincerity and compassion and leaves the audience with a heartfelt message – have we not learned our lessons from history?”
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British Theatre Guide
“The play is thoughtful and well written with engaging performances from actors who switch easily between the different characters they perform.”
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The Upcoming ★★★★
“This is a story based around a fantastic concept”
“The Great Divide is a fantastic display of reviving those forgotten by history and allowing them to continue living. From its simple Yiddish-song opening until its close, it is engaging and evocative”
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UK Theatre Network
“A very important play with an impressive cast that should not be missed.”
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Paul in London ★★★★
“What is exciting about Alix Sobler’s piece is how fragments of stories comes together to tell a much bigger one about immigration, dreams and unionisation against the backdrop of the deadliest workplace disaster in American history. ”
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An interview with Jewish Renaissance (link)
Alix Sobler 