"Stunning and compelling...raw and bold, brutal and ironic, and full of nagging questions. Whereas the film Monster dealt with the more sensational aspects of Wuornos' Florida killing spree, Self Defense...lashes out at the twisted society that turned her trial into simply another media-driven circus."
Ed Kaufman, The Hollywood Reporter
"The West Coast premiere of Carson Kreitzer's 2001 fantasia about executed murderer Aileen Wuornos is stunning, true political theater with a visceral punch. Self Defense, which concludes Kreitzer's 'Women Who Kill' triptych, pulls no punches. Its narrative rails at the skewered society that (inaccurately) dubbed Wuornos 'America's first female serial killer.' The media-driven voyeurism obscured arguments of self-defense raised by an unspeakably abused, profoundly damaged hooker; also, that slayings of prostitutes abated during Wuornos' Florida killing spree. Kreitzer finds pertinent substance within her concentrated didactic sights. The post-feminist volleys carry the courage of Kreitzer's convictions about the convict who motivated them, and land with uncanny artistic aim...
Some observers may find that the emphasis on Wuornos vs. America's double standards on rape and prostitution relegates her seven victims to clinical gristle. Yet Self Defense never trivializes the murders, or excuses Wuornos for pulling the trigger. The scorching issues raised by Self Defense defy simple response, but the airtight forces voicing them here are no less complex in their excellence."
David C. Nichols, Los Angeles Times
"Like a playful documentary filmmaker, Kreitzer treads along various genres: police story, courtroom drama, confessional monologue, and feminist tract... Kreitzer's smart, gritty script whips between locations, interlacing scenes and providing multiple perspectives."
David Cale, Time Out New York
"Whatever the facts of the case...the play is striking on its own terms...gives audiences an absorbing drama, not a harangue, and also, by presenting the human side, calls attention to a case that illustrates the barbarity of capital punishment and the unfair way in which the system works."
William Wolf, Wolf Entertainment Guide
"The play moves like lightning, cutting through a series of brief scenes that illuminate the story in puzzle-piece fashion...smart and surprisingly funny... Insightful, engaging, witty, earnest...Self Defense is socially-conscious drama at its best."
Brooke Pierce, TheaterMania
Content Notes: Adult language and content
Set: Flexible unit set; televisions needed for projection
