"…significantly aided by Gabriel Barre’s aggressive direction, as well as Mark Dendy’s Fosse-inspired yet airless choreography has gone full throttle in the opposite direction???"
-Sam Whitehead, Time Out
"Intelligent direction"
"Under Gabriel Barre’s intelligent direction, the ensemble work is solid and the four principals realize their less-than-ample opportunities."
-John Simon, New York Magazine
"Lavish"
"The MTC production is, in fact, an explosion of youthful talent that captures the work’s libidinous lyricism, like F. Scott Fitzgerald on Spanish fly. This is as lavish as Off-Broadway gets, with David Gallo’s cubistic set, Mark Dendy’s hot-blooded choreography and a terrific band led by Stephen Oremus, all marshaled by Barre into a crescendo of debauchery and death."
-Jack Kroll, Newsweek
"Strong stuff"
"Sweeney Todd is strong stuff, but you’ll probably not find it better served in better form than at Goodspeed."
-Chelsey Piemmons, News Times
"Ingenious direction"
"Ingenious direction by Gabriel Barre and clever lighting by Phil Monat make the tiny stage become one of seemingly endless depth and dimension."
-Bob Cumming, Weekly Reader Corp
"A landmark production"
"When it comes to musical theatre, it just doesn’t get much better than this. Goodspeed Opera House opens its new season with its first Stephen Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd. A feast for the eyes and the ears, Goodspeed’s Sweeney Todd is ingeniously staged, beautifully designed, and exquisitely performed. It’s top of the line. It’s the crème de la crème. It’s a landmark production of a landmark musical."
-Mark G. Auerbach, Optimist
"A macabre tale told superbly"
"A macabre tale told superbly."
-Becca Shea, Mystic River Press
"Sheer theatrical magic"
"Sheer theatrical magic. Mark St. Germain’s script and director Gabriel Barre take us quickly and cleverly from one place to another…will bring you to your feet."
-Franklin Harris, Times News
"Bubbly and stylish direction"
"Thanks to bubbly and stylish direction by Gabriel Barre, sumptuous and scrumptious sets and costumes, and utterly winning performances, it is easy to predict that Seattle Repertory Theatre’s production of the Noel Coward classic Private Lives will wind up on many an audience member and critics ten best list by the end of 2006… Director Barre times this literate farce like a Swiss watch."
-TalkinBroadway.com
"Hits all the right notes"
"Fortunately, Seattle Repertory Theatre’s divine new revival of Coward’s Private Lives hits all the right notes, both comically and thematically. This is a production firmly grounded in the truth of it all, painting an imperfect portrait of the always curious human psyche…What is most impressive about Barre’s direction is his ability to allow the raucous physical fights evolve organically from the action. There is never an insecure moment where the actors step out of character to engage in obviously choreographed stage combat…Barre also provides a powerful ending that never seems as forced as it does on the page."
-Robbie Wachs, BroadwayWorld.com
"Beautifully staged"
"Beautifully staged by director Gabriel Barre, the NSMT amphitheater is used to maximum effect."
-James A Lopata, Newsweekly
"...keeping the show spinning"
"Director Barre does a solid job throughout, keeping the show spinning as fast as a stack of 45s."
-Frank Rizzo, Variety
"High octane energy"
"Gabriel Barre and Todd L. Underwood’s production is a spanking new ’57 Chevy with the windows down and the horns blaring and running on High Octane energy."
-Carl Rossi, The Theatre Mirror
"Brilliantly directed"
"Just be prepared for an experience you’ll never forget… Brilliantly directed by Gabriel Barre."
-Myrna Fearer, Danvers Herald
"Seamlessly, brilliantly staged"
"It dazzled, rattled, and shook me up…Director Gabriel Barre creates a seamlessly, brilliantly staged work."
-Rachel Rome, The Planet
"Fine direction"
"Under Gabriel Barre’s fine direction, the Memphis cast is a well-tuned, high stepping, energetically singing machine."
-Nancy Tuttle, The Sun
"It will rock, roll, and romance you"
"The North Shore Music Theatre is hosting the world premiere of the musical Memphis, and it will rock, roll and romance you…a new work of great promise."
-Rich Fahey, The Daily Item
"Propulsive direction"
"The NSMT world premier also benefits from the propulsive direction of Gabriel Barre."
-Carolyn Clay, Boston Phoenix
"So many right choices"
"Director Gabriel Barre has made so many right choices."
-Paul Lamar, Daily Gazette
"All the right stops"
"Director Barre…has pulled off Coward’s difficult play by pulling out all the right stops and then some."
-Simon Saltzman, TheatreScene.net