Review Roundup: THE RESERVOIR Opens At Atlantic Theater Company

Critics are weighing in on The Reservoir, a play written by Jake Brasch and directed by Shelley Butler, starring Caroline Aaron, Heidi Armbruster, Noah Galvin, Peter Maloney, Mary Beth Peil, Matthew Saldívar, and Chip Zien.

The Reservoir follows Josh, who has returned home to Denver to get sober. As he navigates memory loss and lingering confusion after years of drinking, he finds himself unexpectedly aligned with his four aging grandparents. The play explores themes of recovery, memory, and intergenerational connection.

Now playing in a co-production with Atlantic Theater Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The limited engagement continues through March 15 at the Linda Gross Theater.

Check out highlights of the production here!

Jonathan Mandell, New York Theater: Directed fluidly by Shelley Butler with a minimal design, the production relies on ensemble acting; both Heidi Armbruster and Matthew Saldívar portraying multiple characters (among others, she’s Josh’s mother and a rabbi; he’s Josh’s co-worker and a neurologist), and the four grandparents moonlight as the crowd in scenes of a support group and others. But “The Reservoir” is inescapably the Noah Galvin show, and he makes the most of it. Galvin (best-known for Dear Evan Hansen and the short-lived TV series “The Real McNeal”) has fine comic timing, charm, and physical grace. But he is most impressive for the moments that his face registers, briefly but persuasively, Josh’s pain and sorrow.

Frank Scheck, New York Stage Review: The Reservoir suffers from both its excessive jokiness and overfamiliarity, redeemed mainly by Shelley Butler’s clever staging and the performances of its ensemble. Galvin expertly handles both the comedic and tragic aspects of his character and Armbruster and Saldivar do fine work in numerous roles. But it’s the four old pros onstage who truly shine, with Aaron stealing the show as the sardonic Beverly who’s younger than her years. Unfortunately, those veteran performers are not playing characters so much as archetypes in a play that purports to deal with serious issues but never gets beneath the surface.

Allison Considine, New York Theatre Guide: There’s a constant interplay between humor and hardship, and at times, the tonal shifts can feel jarring and unsettling, raising questions about whether its appropriate to laugh at the subject matter at hand. The play concludes with satisfying forward progress for Josh; the only trouble is that, at two-plus hours, his journey takes too long to get there.

Robert Hofler, The Wrap: It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while a play is not so much a play as it is an audition for a Netflix or HBO series. The TV company could be NBC or CBS if not for the fact that “The Reservoir,” which opened Tuesday at the Atlantic Theater Company, is about alcoholism and Alzheimer’s.

Average Rating: 65.0%