Brainwashed

I loved this show - Alina is a gifted performer... full review

This show was so impressive in every way. It was well written, thematically diverse, and performed brilliantly. I could watch another hour of Alina discovering new things with the crowd. She was so present and looked like she was having fun throughout-a tough challenge for a performer to do. ... full review

Fabulous!! I brought a friend to this show and she ended up in a prison camp. It was a great time!! A wild ride and a thoughtfully-crafted production, Alina is absurd and unapologetic in her autobiographical work. Like an unhinged history teacher, Alina gives the audience an intimate glimpse into another world, connecting us through comedy and heart in a way that only great theatre (or in this case, clown) can.... full review

Great show with a unique and interesting point of view. Alina's penchant for absurdism is fun and her willingness to take us somewhere personal elevates the clowning experience.... full review

Brainwashed was a comedy show on the surface, but a vulnerable biography at its core. Alina walks us through her journey in a way that is emotionally moving but leans into the “clownery of it all”. There are laughs, shovels, gulags and soup. What more could one ask for!? 10/10 would go again!!... full review

So funny. So well written, acted, directed. Also so heartbreaking and vulnerable. Do not miss!! ... full review

An honest, hilarious, and daring show. I had a blast. The risks taken pay off in spades. You never truly know what's coming next - and yet, I always knew the audience was in great hands. Go see this show!... full review

I do not throw this around lightly, but Lucille Ball’s spirit lives on in Alina. There’s something in her face, physicality, and timing…a silliness, spirit, sparkle! But she’s of course her own unique being, and I was absolutely riveted with every beat and shift. Hers is not a story we hear every day, and it’s absolutely fascinating. Alina is hilarious, even (or especially?) when coming out of an emotional or serious moment. ... full review

I can’t explain to you what clown is, but I can tell you that if it’s vulnerability wrapped in an enigma of humor, history, self-reflection, jokes, and soup I love it. This show was hilarious. I don’t know a lot of clowns and I even know less clowns that have a show about growing up in a dictatorship and the ramifications with that. This one had me laughing and a tear did go down my face. This was an absolute blast and glad I got to see it!!! I’ll never look at a shovel the same again ... full review

If you're reading reviews to decide whether or not to see this show, let me help with one word: GO. Not sold? Okay, four words: RUN. DO NOT WALK. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Alina is a true gift to comedy, weaving together a razor-sharp show about growing up under dictatorship with both absurdity and vulnerability.... full review