Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Under the surface of "4000 Miles" (an all-purpose title of distance) lies an exploration of how the American left has changed - from the article-editing, Cuba-sympathasizing views of the older generation to the more ecologically focused preoccupations of the Luddite young. Here again, Herzog's filter is sentimentalism, expressed unsentimentally."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...In this intimate but universal story — one that belongs, above all, to Thebus — director Kimberly Senior makes everything flow easily but unpredictably. She and her cast find the truth in the casual mess of a cereal bowl, the visible relief of a hug."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...Kimberly Senior's direction reinforces Herzog's intelligent approach, keeping her cast reined in well short of cutesy stereotypes. The action includes no shouting matches, cataclysmic reversals or broken crockery, and fans of Mary Ann Thebus will find few easy laughs in the acerbic ex-communist Vera. Within Herzog's deceptively minimalist landscape, however, dwell a wide spectrum of American individuals unconventional, but immediately recognizable, nevertheless."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...There are no wrenching plot twists nor oversold sentimentality in Herzog's and Senior's delicate sketchwork, which also encompasses brief but lovely turns by Caroline Neff and Emjoy Gavino as two very different love interests for Leo. It never feels like we're being manipulated or that the playwright is pushing buttons; even a scene that sounds on paper like an easy joke-Leo and Granny get high together-comes across as organic and earned. There are no big lessons in 4000 Miles, just honest and moving portrayals of learning and growing."
Chicago On the Aisle - Somewhat Recommended
"...I think this play is supposed to be about twentysomething Leo (Josh Salt), who has pedaled across the country to get away from a mother he can’t stand and to find himself. But the more insightful, clever and picturesque writing in “4000 Miles” centers on his grandma, a free-thinking old political lefty who has bent to the infirmities of age without conceding any of her spunk."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...Herzog's 4000 Miles is understated. Nothing much happens, and sometimes the hour and forty minutes, without intermission, drag. In spite of these caveats, what makes the play worth recommending is the vital character of Vera who with utter frankness reveals outrageous thoughts and actions as she explores her life and life choices. This doyen transcends both her immediate family and the play itself."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Northlight Theatre, a charming venue located in shadows of Old Orchard, in its history, selects plays that will promote change in perspective and explore the depth of our Humanity. In the current production, the Chicago premiere of Amy Herzog's "4000 Miles", we get to witness how two people, one young, the other an eighty year old Plus, grandmother, learn how each needs the other to have a relationship. The story takes place in New York. It is the apartment of Vera Joseph ( deliciously played by Maty Ann Thebus) who has been awakened by a buzzer being leaned on by her grandson,Leo ( deftly handled by Josh Salt). Leo has come , by bike, all the way from Seattle to see his on again, off again girlfriend Bec ( theasdorable Caroline Neff) who has decided to break it off with him, and so he ends up, dirty and tired, ringing Grandma's bell."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"..."4000 Miles" may not deliver the emotional wattage that roiuses the audience to a standing ovation at the final blackout, but it should elicit sighs of appreciation from viewers who appreciate a low-key play that deals in real life with humor and understanding, plus providing a pair of signature roles for two very talented performers."