Michael Louis Serafin-Wells: Press

"(Neil) La Bute territory with fresh angles and sustained tension..."


(Excerpt from New York Times review of Michael's play TWO FROM THE LINE, Off-B'way at NYC's Ensemble Studio Theatre, June 2011)

"Real Real Gone" by Michael Louis Wells heralds the arrival of a writer with an acute sense of language and a special ability to dramatize human behavior. Through language that rivets with its imagery and humor, Wells peels away the layers of a relationship, revealing two different men who need each other terribly..." - Michael's REAL REAL GONE- original production Off-B'way, New York's Ensemble Studio Theatre.

"'Real Real Gone' is the best of the bunch, with language that laces the natural poetics of the street with erudition, dramatic revelations and passionate resolves..."

"Slick and cynical, Wells's writing is ripe with political savvy..." - Michael's THE "I" WORD: INTERNS - original New York production.

"Wells handles the Beltway lingo with brains and Shavian brio..." - THE "I" WORD: INTERNS, original New York production.

"Wells possesses one of the freshest and most authentic voices among playwrights now working. He has an uncanny knack for writing dialogue that rings with truth and yet suggests plainspoken poetry. Lines often overlap as characters talk over one another, or disintegrate with a character's unfinished or interrupted thoughts. The characters themselves have depth and dimension, as well as humor and humanity. Wells's dialogue beautifully (and sometimes hilariously) reflects the schism between what the characters think and what they feel, and the play makes a passionate case for the despair these young people feel in trying to cope in a society they view as sick with greed and hypocrisy"

"Particularly fine work from Michael Louis Wells, beautifully managing multiple roles. Rich in character, humor, pathos..." - World premiere of Edna O'Brien's "Tir na nOg"directed by Chris Smith, Magic Theatre - San Francisco, CA.

"In the first installment ("Slab Boys") Wells combines the innocence of the cherub with the perversity of the scamp, a bully boy who just may have the soul of an artist. By the final play of the trilogy ("Still Life"), his portrayal deepens perceptibly. No longer just a madcap teenager, he's a man with a wry awareness of his own mortality and fate's unfathomable ways..." US premiere of John Byrne's "The Slab Boys Trilogy" directed by Joy Zinoman, Studio Theatre- Washington, DC.

"Leaving its rivals blinking at the gate, "1761" is a soaring sendup, played with brio and featuring the star-is-born pleasure of seeing Michael Louis Wells in the (we can still hope!)role of a lifetime..." - Tom Fontana & Bruce Paltrow's "1761" - West Bank Downstairs Theatre, New York City.

"Eclectic, steadfast and powerful - making new and truthful music. Most notably the former frontman of Uncle, Wells's performance is full of discovery and a quiet curiosity..." - Bipolar Explorer at The Cooper Square Hotel- New York City, March 2010.

"The highly infectious melodic, punk-laced, hyper-literate, guitar-driven sounds bring to mind echoes of The Replacements, Husker Du, Guided By Voices, Pavement and mid-period Clash.It might added that some very healthy mixture of Anglo-American influence, a trans-Atlantic vibe, can be found in much of the music. Possibly one fan may have been put his finger on it recently describing the results as sounding "like (Paul) Westerberg rocking out with the guys from Wire or something."Yes, that's a GOOD thing..." - Staff review of BPX debut, "Go Negative".

"You can't resist having these guys play your party - even though you just know the cops will come and shut it down. With their garage crunch and musical insanity - just listen to "Lemon Lip Gloss"! - and featuring punchy and playful songs like "Shut Up And Bite Me" (about a vampiric, presumably ex-, girlfriend), (the self-explanatory) "Flakey Girl" and a shambolic, Ramones-inspired cover of The Beatles' "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", Uncle have a knack for recording their personalities as well as their music on tape. Garage as garage can be, Uncle forfeit polish for passion on "Thanks For All The Lemons", making it obvious they are a band that plays because they love to."
- ORB Confidential Spring 1996 cover feature and starred review of Uncle debut album "Thanks For All the Lemons".