“Supplying dynamite supporting performances here are Brian McCartney as Army Hakes, the trainer who admires McClintock and tries to shame Maish; Scott Aiello as a smarmy pimp of a promoter, and Jamie Vann, a hoot as Perelli, the cigar-chomping wrestling impresario. Cheers, too, for designers Kevin Hagan, Mike Durst, Cybele Moon and Mike Tutaj in this knockout of a show.”

Hedy Weiss

“... this play contains moments of self-reflection so genuine they leave a lump in the throat and a tear in the eye, something the audience's quiet sniffles bore out opening night. Contey and lighting designer Mike Durst bring a cinematic quality to the production. That's especially true of the opening scene, a bracing, gasp-inducing fight with punishing choreography by Nick Sandys, spot-on sound by Mike Tutaj and prosthetics by Ora Jewell-Busche, whose aptly unappetizing makeup makes a cauliflower of a fighter's ear and raw hamburger of his cheek.”

Barbara Vitello