Anna In The Afterlife presented by Polarity Ensemble Theatre at The Greenhouse Theater Center

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Playing a version of himself, Engling chooses between life or death in a purgatory-like void populated by visions of his deceased friends. Susan Padveen's production for Polarity Ensemble Theatre attaches equal value to each semiautobiographical detail—and there are many, enough for two novels in addition to this work, which taken together are supposed to form a trilogy. The end result is a perplexing piece, unquestionable in its sincerity, that left me very much on the outside."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Richard Engling's "Anna in the Afterlife" is a play based on his friendship and collaboration with Fern Chertkow: a friend, writer, and colleague who took her own life in 1988. Because so much of the takes play in the afterlife, I would hesitate to call it autobiographical, but among the many new plays I have seen produced, it is deeply and refreshingly personal and obviously based, at least loosely, around the life, and more importantly death, of Engling's friend: Fern Chertkow, and his own various travails with apparent mental illness.It case anyone doubted the personal nature of the play, the playwright and lead actor are one in the same."

Splash Magazine - Somewhat Recommended

"...Not helping matters along is the apparent miscasting of key characters (this includes Engling’s portrayal of Mathew, a character whom, as playwright, he created). Sheila Willis, as one vision of Anna, is a pleasure to watch perform on stage, but it is nowhere near enough to save this production. Anna in the Afterlife simply lacks the necessary focus to be an insightful meditation on life and death."