Review by Savannah Brooks.
Photo Credit: Joe Mazza
Shelby Hinkley is just like any 14-and-a-half year old girl. She’s awkward, she has posters all over her wall, she gets made fun of at school, and she keeps Tobey Maguire chained up in her basement.
Okay, so maybe everyone doesn’t have an international superstar and heartthrob locked up just outside of their bedroom. But, really, can you blame Shelby? Her dad is out of the picture, her mom stays upstairs and only pays attention to her when she needs her for something, and her best friend at school is also her bully. What is the president of the Tobey Maguire fan club to do in this situation but turn to Spider-Man himself, who finds himself waking up in Shelby’s unfinished basement after being anaesthetized for his wisdom tooth surgery.
It seems ridiculous, to sympathize with a kidnapper who makes a valiant attempt to force her captor to marry her. But in I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire by Samantha Hurley, directed by Tyler Struble, it’s hard not to root for Shelby (Alex O’Shea). The sad nature of her situation (because, really, is it Shelby’s fault that she can keep Tobey Maguire in her basement for days and her mom doesn’t even notice?) and O’Shea’s equal-parts hilarious and endearing awkwardness makes it apparent how Shelby thought the real-life Tobey Maguire (Jasper Johnson) could improve her life.
The play, as a whole, is sickeningly funny. Each time it may seem like Shelby has already said the most awkwardly-14-year-old thing possible, she follows it up with something else that leads to an eruption of laughter from the audience. Johnson’s exasperated demeanor (and impressive crowd work towards the end of the play) as well as Lucy Stoole’s comedic chops filling out every other character in the play certainly are important contributions to the world. Ultimately, though, the beating heart of the play is O’Shea, who is immensely capable and seems to never tire, despite plenty of singing, dancing, running up and down stairs, and Shelby’s always-changing emotional state.
Scenic designer Trenton Jones makes it easy to live in Shelby’s Y2K Tobey Maguire world, with plenty of plush bright colors and an impressive faux-television set that sits at the center of it all. Costume designer Madeleine Shows firmly places Shelby in 2003, and prop designer Elly Burke delivers so many fun surprises that I refuse to reveal.
All in all, this play is extraordinarily fun. It also hits the important heavy beats that elevate it from simple comedy to a sweet and nuanced take on celebrity and intense fandom. Sure, it’s about a girl kidnapping Tobey Maguire, but Hurley also includes plenty of meditations on loneliness, social ostracization, obsession, and the parts of life we don’t sign up for but have to go through anyway. The play can move a little slowly at times, and the logistics of it all are a little confusing if you think too hard about the circumstances, but neither of these hinders enjoyment. O’Shea’s star turn especially makes this a can’t-miss play, especially if you yourself have ever had a movie star in a poster on your wall.
I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire is a Refracted Theatre Company production and is now playing at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, until October 31 2026. Performance times vary; check the website at Refracted Theatre Company. Find more information about current plays on our Current Shows page and at theatreinchicago.com.