Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...To my mind, this particularly brilliant play requires a relentless focus on truth, even when filtered through melodrama. Actually, especially when so filtered. The more realistic the style of the work we are seeing, the more we understand the ease with which melodramatic spectacle, which has made up the bulk of popular entertainment in America for most of the nation's history, has always been co-opted for racist ends."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Jacobs-Jenkins has set his sights on "The Octoroon," a pre-Civil War era melodrama by Dion Boucicault, an Irish-American writer and actor relatively unknown today but whose play, which opened in 1859 at New York's Winter Garden Theatre, was a huge hit and is said to have engendered seven road companies."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Running at about two and a half hours, An Octoroon retains The Octoroon's plot contrivances, and stretches that should resonate viscerally-including a stark reminder of real-life unspeakable evil-have dampened impact as a result of its longueurs. But for folks who heed Definition's adjuration to "Stay in it" and meet the show halfway, there are rewards aplenty."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...A rule of thumb when constructing multidimensional meta-commentaries on existing texts is to write your commentary first, and then insert the source material in the remaining space. Melodrama is a hefty hunk of stage picture, even with Boucicault's "sensation scene" ( spectacle involving a steamship fire ) compressed into an ensemble-narrated synopsis. Director Chuck Smith is to be commended for reining in his cast's natural propensity for rushing material drawn from the original script for the sake of camp-giggles, but actors today being better trained for sprints than marathons, the energy level on opening night couldn't help but falter in the heavy-lifting second act. This temporary setback, however, proved no impediment to Jenkins' always-astute observations or the insights provided thereby."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...I can't directly compare Definition's work to An Octoroon's previous productions in New York, Washington, D.C., London and elsewhere, but I get the impression Smith has dialed down the overt absurdity to good effect. Among the cast, the hardworking Breon Arzell delivers the most compelling performance(s) I've yet seen from him pulling triple duty as BJJ, George and M'Closky, while Chicago newcomer Ariel Richardson is devastating as George's forbidden love Zoe, the "octoroon," among whose blood "one black drop poisons the rest." To see her shift seamlessly between sending up her character's overwrought virtue and playing the very real stakes of Zoe's dilemma is impressive to say the least."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...Victory Gardens has added a new "resident Company" to its stable. The company is Definition Theatre Company (they print it as "def-i-ni-tion"), and they are committed to bringing high quality work to the Chicago community that examines what it means to be American today!". The production is also a Chicago premiere written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins titled "An Octoroon", which is a modern look at an 1859 classic melodrama by Dion Boucicacault. To add even more to this recipe for quality theater, the production is directed by Chuck Smith in association with The Goodman Theatre. How's that for a special event in the world of Chicago Theater!"
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...Director Check Smith manages all this drama and melodrama with his usual skill. His cast is excellent, with Arzell performing a tour de force as three characters. There's also a mysterious character named Br'er Rabbit (Tyrone Phillips), who wears a hat with ears and performs small feats of magic with a finger snap."
The Hawk Chicago - Recommended
"...Definition's newest offering is a subversive and shocking take on race in the America of yesterday and today. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, An Octoroon should make the Chicago theatre community very proud. "
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...These are masterful performers and great direction by Chuck Smith- and reason enough to make this production recommended. The entire cast is quite good, actually, keeping the pace and with just right shtick that lets you stay surface or dive deep into the script's deconstruction of race relations in America - then, now and every day in between."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...The layers "An Octoroon" recognizes and reveals are painful and absurd. The cast is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. BJJ says he contemplated burning down the theater and letting the audience experience that. Instead "An Octoroon" asks that you feel something. It does the rest of the work for you."
