Chicago Archives - Page 2 of 2 - 1 Minute Critic

Emilie Maureen Hanson in "Mr. Wolf."

Reviews

Steppenwolf’s ‘Mr. Wolf’ gets lost in its own universe

Lauren Emily Whalen Sep 22, 2025 0

Strong acting elevates "Mr. Wolf" at Steppenwolf, although Rajiv Joseph's family drama suffers from distracting metaphors, plot holes, and an…

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Aurora Penepacker and the cast of Kokandy Productions' "Amélie."

Reviews

This underground Chicago theater just made ‘Amélie’ better than Broadway

Lauren Emily Whalen Aug 4, 2025 0

Kokandy's whimsical 'Amélie' starring Aurora Penepacker proves intimacy beats spectacle at Chopin Theatre through September 28.

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Namir Smallwood and Amy Morton in "You Will Get Sick."

Reviews

‘You Will Get Sick’ delivers brains, heart & courage, but ocassionally stumbles over its own yellow brick road

Lauren Emily Whalen Jun 17, 2025 0

Noah Diaz's "You Will Get Sick" offers a unique take on mortality and human connection through the lens of "The…

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Kelvin Roston Jr, Mi Kang, and Rebecca Spence in "Miss Julie."

Reviews

In ‘Miss Julie,’ Court Theatre finds something new inside a very old birdcage

Laura Zornosa Feb 24, 2026

A young Black woman reads the script for "John Proctor is the Villain" in a bookstore.

Books

Can’t catch a play in person? Read it instead: the case for plays as literature

Jude Cramer Feb 24, 2026

(l-r) Caleb Joshua Eberhardt and Alia Shawkat in "You Got Older."

Reviews

‘You Got Older’ mines for grief in the small talk & finds more than it bargained for

Emily Chackerian Feb 23, 2026

(l-r) Myah Bridgewater, Brenna DiStasio, Tamsen Glaser and Emily Marso with (back) Peter Ferneding in the world premiere of "Pot Girls" at The Story Theatre.

Reviews

‘Pot Girls’ delivers a smoky riff on Caryl Churchill’s classic play but can’t clear the air

Matthew Wexler Feb 23, 2026