Reviews

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Enter one actor cloaked in magic
"Libby Skala does a marvelous rendition, in an evocative Middle European patois, of her grandmother's velveteen, old world charm that sheaths a steel will. Skala is magnetic in a part that clearly means the world to her."
        - Bruce Weber, THE NEW YORK TIMES
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CBC Radio Review
"The real winner for me was this play called Lilia! One of the best performances I've seen - absolutely dazzling acting. Skala's ability to transform herself from her ninety-year-old grandmother into herself as a child, moving right through being a mature woman is absolutely magical and alchemical. A riveting performance, brilliant play. Go and see this!"
        - Robert Enright, CBC RADIO, Canada
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Lilia! by Libby Skala
"A unique and spellbinding production.  The story sweeps across the dramatic events which shaped Lilia Skala's life, and uses the intimate conversations between grandmother and granddaughter to reveal how experience forges the mind.  A play of tremendous candor which is at once appealing and a privilege to view.   I feel grateful for the experience and not a little inclined to marvel..."
        - Jonathan Wilson, THE SCOTSMAN
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Summer Productions Shine - Libby Skala channels her grandmother in 'Lilia'
"The high bar of performing excellence is more than met by Libby Skala, who enacts her own grandmother with an uncanny blend of transformative force and ravishing charm.  On a bare stage, the actress creates her grandmother's entire world through the chimerical power of her voice and facial expressions.  The audience is enthralled."
      - David Noh,  THE NEW YORK BLADE
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True life grandma story warm and honest
"Lilia! is not merely a tribute. It is a thoughtful piece of history - political, theatrical and personal - and a loving exploration of the relationship between grandchild and grandmother. Skala is a beautiful, graceful performer with a merry, mischievous style...Enchanting...A well-crafted gem."
        - Jo Ledingham, THE VANCOUVER COURIER
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Summer Arts Review
"Lilia! is a granddaughter's education, deliciously poignant.  It's always astounding to be reminded of how much worthy theatre is out there, invisible most of the time beneath the glare of Broadway."
        - Bruce Weber, WQXR (New York Times Radio)
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Lilia!
"That the granddaughter so precisely captures the lilt and cadence of her grandmother's voice is impressive.  Even more admirable is her ability to suggest the emotional complexities of the older woman....Brave...and wise, too."
        - Mark Dundas Wood, BACKSTAGE
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Critics Pick:  Tribute to grandmother a lovely, warm memory
"The exclamation mark is entirely appropriate, since Lilia Skala was very much the kind of person who lived! life!  Libby Skala wraps herself in a colorful scarf and rich Austrian accent to become her grandmother.  The effect is electric.  Lilia's adventures are so interesting that the 90-minute solo show could consist entirely of her stories and still come in a winner."
        - Peter Birnie, THE VANCOUVER SUN
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Play a wonderful tribute to writer's grandmother
"In a fully three dimensional portrait, Libby brings her grandmother alive in an entertaining and impressive manner. Truly this is one of the most riveting of such plays one is likely to see; indeed, the only similar play which equals it is The Syringa Tree.  Lilia! demands to be seen."
        - Alan Charlton, THE BC CATHOLIC
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Lilia's stage mirror of grandma's Nazi experience
"Manchester Jewish Museum's decision to bring Libby Skala's tribute to her grandmother was an inspired one...A tour de force of acting. Of particular interest to the largely Jewish audiences was seeing how the Holocaust impacted on Libby's non-Jewish grandmother and half Jewish father and uncle."
        - Judith Hayman, MANCHESTER JEWISH TELEGRAPH
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Opening acts wow packed theatre
"Has there ever been a more charming performer than Libby Skala and a more enchanting story packed with gentle wisdom?"
        - John Fisher, LEEDS JEWISH TELEGRAPH
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Courage of a Hollywood Star
"[Four Stars] What a privilege it is for those of us lucky enough to witness Libby's performance after her rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival. [Lilia Skala] was a woman of strength and courage - deserving of the homage paid by her granddaughter."
        - Aline Waites, HAMPSTEAD AND HIGHGATE EXPRESS (HAM & HIGH), London, UK
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LILIA!
"A remarkable biography...brought to life by Libby Skala...with a bewitching array of facial expressions, accents and mannerisms which quite captivated the audience. This is a story of personal triumph over adversity. A fascinating portrait of a self-motivated and determined woman with considerable acting talent who lived through a period of great turmoil in world history, had the odds stacked against her but who came out with longevity, success and style. One cannot help thinking of Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. I hope this show attracts the interest it deserves."
        - Bernie Whelan, EXTRA! EXTRA, London, UK
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Lilia – refugee from the Nazis, Oscar nominee, and grandmother comes to London (as a play)
"Lilia is that rare kind of a play of which one can say at the end that the 'whole of the theatre was suffused with love'. Following two curtain calls, sole performer Libby Skala re-emerged for a Q&A session about the play and not a single person left until the very last question had been answered. [Libby Skala] grasps and conveys something of the spiritual strength that empowered her grandmother to stand up for her own unique place in life during a difficult era, and to accomplish the good for which she is remembered."
        - Tony Lobl, "OH, LORD, PLEASE DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD", London, UK
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LILIA!
"Lilia Skala's life [is] superbly dramatized by her granddaughter, now a fabulous thespian, lauded by critics all over North America for this solo performance.  During the opening night performance, you could hear a pin drop during the dramatic pauses, which is undoubtedly a mark of great acting.  This is truly a great and moving play, and I highly recommend it."
        - Ed Farolan, REVIEW VANCOUVER
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Patrick's Picks
"The story of actress Lilia Skala as portrayed by her granddaughter is warm, loving, intense, funny, sad, and so human it deserves all the accolades it has received. Actress-playwright Libby Skala is brilliant...a truly dazzling tour-de-force. Superbly constructed. She has done her grandmother proud. Do see this."
- Patrick Lonergan, PATRICK'S PICKS
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Ravishing Revivals - Lilia Skala Lives
"Libby Skala performed a wonderful encore to her one-woman show about her actress grandmother...Nothing could break the intense concentration of Skala, who once more wove a spell with her exquisitely detailed portrait of this difficult, indomitable, utterly unique spirit."
- David Noh, GAY CITY NEWS
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CBC 6 O'Clock News
"One of the finest performances at the entire Fringe this year is a play called LILIA!...This is a beautiful piece of acting. Absolutely alchemical and transforming." [CBC rated LILIA! #4 in the TOP TEN of 118 shows at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival 2000]
- Robert Enright, CBC TELEVISION
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Lilia! a tribute to a remarkable actor
"With a tightening of the jaw and an arch of the eyebrows, Libby Skala transforms from portraying herself as a teenager to her grandmother."
- Sandra Coulson, LONDON FREE PRESS
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Living Legacy - Lilia!
"Libby Skala crafts a portrait both of a fascinating person and of a poignant connection between two kindred spirits. Lilia Skala led a remarkable life. Imagine a career arc that ranged from appearing in a Shaw play on the Munich stage in 1934 to appearing in the pilot for Raymond Burr's Ironside. Skala did a deft job of placing her grandmother in the context of historical incident while keeping the focus on the personal drama."
- Shawn Stone, METROLAND
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Tribute to Lilia Skala - Spotlighting courageous refugee actress
"...A charming and surprisingly moving piece. For anyone in the theater, [this] show is a paean to the seriousness and importance of the art. For "civilians," it's a reminder that patience, fortitude and tenacity will usually, in the long run, win out against misfortune. I highly recommend Lilia!"
- D.L. Lepidus, THE WESTSIDER and CHELSEA CLINTON NEWS
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Lilia
"...Riveting theater. Libby Skala carves out the cadences and physical mannerisms of an expansive persona with gracious ease and apparent authenticity. [Lilia Skala] felt destined to share her humanity so as to enrich the lives of others through her art. Libby Skala projects the lavishly ornate gestures and rhythmic intonation of a larger-than-life personality. A portrait of rare plasticity."
- Bruno Koch, PORT FOLIO WEEKLY
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'Lilia' worth a look
"Lilia! flew by and gave me shivers of joy throughout. I wish everyone I know could see it and be touched by it as I was. Lilia! deserves attention."
- Barbara Stimers, THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
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Lilia!
"Lilia! is the best one-person show I've ever seen. Libby takes us on an emotional ride of laughter and sorrow as she retraces her grandmother's life." [Lilia! rated #1 in the top 10 shows of 118 shows at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival 2000]
- Justin Olynyk, UMFM RADIO
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Lilia!
"Libby Skala's heartfelt tribute to her grandmother and mentor never hits a false note. The writing is superb, and Skala (who has a presence reminiscent of a young Linda Griffiths) delivers a performance as well-crafted as you'll see at any Fringe." [Four Stars]
- Kevin Connolly, EYE WEEKLY
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LILIA
"Lilia Skala...has finally been given her due in Lilia!, a lovely and heartwarming play by her granddaughter Libby. Skala paints an engaging portrait of her talented grandmother...Interesting and authentic...A hit...Lilia! just completed a deserved two-week extension and may return again soon."
- David Hurst, NEXT MAGAZINE
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Lilia!
"...A winner... Captivating entertainment. If [you're] looking for a charming, cuss-free hour of entertainment, come meet Lilia." [Four Stars]
- Kevin Prokosh, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
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Lilia
"The final scene constitutes one of the most moving scenes to be seen at this year's Fringe."
[Four Stars]
- Randall King, WINNIPEG SUN
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LILIA
"Libby Skala becomes her grandmother by projecting every physical nuance, sound projection and tone of a European star trying to impose her values, her morals, onto her granddaughter...A must see at this year's Fringe!"
- Nick Ternette, CBC WEBSITE REVIEW
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Lilia
"Mesmerizing performance. [Libby Skala] brought her grandmother to life. If you enjoyed the performance by Lilia Skala in Lilies of the Field you should see Lilia! I wish I could have met Lilia Skala."
- C. Prokopchuk, THE JENNY REVUE
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Tales From the Fringe
"Reporting the buzz... After Libby Skala's show Lilia! last night, I heard no less than four people say, essentially: "thank God we saw that show before the reviews came out, or we'd never get in!"... Just reporting what I heard, man."
- THE FRINGE HAROLD, Toronto
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Passing the torch - Lilia!
"Lilia! might be billed as a one-woman show, but at times it seemed as though there were really two women on the stage... Libby Skala so effectively channeled her grandmother. Charmingly written... Lilia's story is an inspiring tale."
- Charles Bettersby, OFF-OFF BROADWAY REVIEW
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Lilia!
"Libby captures Lilia's voice and mannerisms perfectly. Interesting, and moving, without ever being sappy. Even for those who may never have heard of Lilia Skala, it is a fine portrait and an excellent play."
- Jenny Sandman, OFF-OFF BROADWAY REVIEW
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LILIA!  Written and Performed by LIBBY SKALA
"From a thumb-sucking child to an elderly patron of a nursing home, Skala takes on the roles of herself and her grandmother. The special relationship is laced with humor, courage, pride, and lots of love. LILIA! is a moving and well-executed tribute to a fascinating individual."
- Laurie Lawson, ELJ ALL ARTS ANNEX
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Libby Skala tells grandmother's remarkable story
"Skala has total command of the bare-bones stage...She was equally adroit at portraying her grandmother as she was portraying herself at several ages."
- Dottie Ashley, POST AND COURIER
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Lilia
"...An amazing one-woman play... It was fascinating to watch this young woman as she morphed from her child-, to teen-, to adult-self and, for long periods, into her grandmother...From the play's first moments to the final scene – I was immersed in the story and the performance. Go see Lilia."
- Violet Nesdoly, PROMPTINGS
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Lilia! by Libby Skala
"Writer-performer Libby Skala’s material for this solo show is heaven-sent: her grandmother lived a long and extraordinary life. The stories are riveting....The dynamic between generations is beautifully drawn.... It's hard not to be inspired."
- Kathleen Oliver, THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT
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Last Updated: 10/26/2011
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