July 4, 2022July 4, 2022Chicago Reviews The Story Theatre weaves history and “not history” into a brilliant conflation of revolution and the Black experience As its name implies, The Story Theatre knows how to tell a story. The young company, only in its third season, has […]
October 23, 2018October 23, 2018Chicago Reviews “It’s Only A Play” until the reviews come in Review by Karen Topham, American Theatre Critics Association member; photos by Paul Goyette “I don’t know what people want in a play […]
September 29, 2018September 30, 2018Chicago Reviews CST’s “Nell Gwynn” is a brilliant comic romp Review by Karen Topham, American Theatre Critics Association member; photos by Liz Lauren. There is quite a way to go and many […]
June 15, 2018Chicago Reviews “Empty Threats” Is a Reality-Bending Trip from Neo-Futurists Review by Karen Topham, American Theatre Critics Association member; photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux. It’s not often that I am challenged as […]
April 7, 2018April 7, 2018Chicago Reviews Funny, Poignant “Red Bowl at the Jeffs” Deserves Your Nomination Review by Karen Topham, American Theatre Critics Association member; photos by Montana Bruns What is the nature and meaning of friendship? How […]
April 6, 2018April 6, 2018Chicago Reviews Bad Girls: The Stylists Is a Cut Below the Rest Review by Karen Topham, American Theatre Critics Association; photos by Karl Clifton-Soderstrom There are fine plays set in hair salons. Steel Magnolias comes […]
January 18, 2018Articles, Musings A Personal Perspective of Timeline’s “Boy” From a TG Critic Step into the world of Timeline Theatre’s “Boy” and you walk through an exhibit about the innateness of gender into a theatre […]
November 17, 2017Musings Reviewing Plays: Why Most Shows Are Recommended Reviewing plays is a funny thing, as it turns out. I’m feeling a bit guilty these days for an absolutely stupid reason: […]
November 7, 2017November 7, 2017Articles Paramount Theatre Slices Up the Competition in 49th Jeff Awards Chicago theatre celebrated its finest last night at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, as the 49th Annual Equity Jeff Awards presentation rewarded a […]
October 28, 2017October 28, 2017Meta, Musings 4 AM No, that is not the sequel to a Matchbox Twenty song. Went to a play tonight and wrote the review, yeah; I […]
