Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...If you go to "Bloodshot," though, you'll likely spend most of your time trying to figure out who did what to whom, or possibly to themselves, and why. I guessed a couple of the secrets but still was surprised by plenty. Too much rubbing of my restless eyes throughout, perchance."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...The play possesses all the elements of a psychological thriller, yet it transcends that classic genre with its hipster vibe as it leads us through the post-war London of the 1950s and early '60s - the parks, the tattered immigrant neighborhoods, the entertainment scene, the brutalist industrial zones, the police stations - all by way of the vaguely voyeuristic sensibility of a photographer in the mode of New York's fabled Weegee."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Douglas Post's one-man noir is tightly constructed, well written, and calcified, so dependent on the well-worn conventions of midcentury crime dramas it may as well be an unproduced episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. As Eveleigh, British import Simon Slater, star of Bloodshot's original 2011 London production, gives a precise, detailed, impassioned performance, but by the time he's played ukulele, saxophone, and done magic tricks-all before intermission- the evening feels more showcase than show."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...Now, about our storyteller: That's singular, as in one actor playing all of the above-mentioned characters. This mandates that for two hours ( with an intermission/rest break ), Slater not only swaps repartee at stichomythic speed in twelve distinct voices encompassing six global dialects, but engages in such physically challenging stunts as grappling with himself for a gun, palming cards with legerdemanic expertise and wailing on a saxophone while crooning a blues ballad appropriately titled "Deadly Eyes." Let's not forget, too, our reluctant shamus' existential crisis at becoming increasingly embroiled in the fate of the exotic enchantress whom he knows ( and we see ) solely through his Leica's telescopic lens."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...Bloodshot is a bit like Rear Window meets Blow Up, a tale of dangerous voyeurism that morphs into tale-spinning vertigo. As staged by British maven Patrick Sandford, with persuasive projections depicting Derek's Kodak moments, the two-act tour de terror twists us as much as the plot. Afterwards, as you look back at a contrived but satisfying ending, you realize that Derek was a catspaw in one too many games. But by then we've bought the action, falling for Cassandra as much as suspense and love allow."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...Everleigh is an anti-hero who requires villains like the other three characters to look good by comparison, and as in film noir, the mystery is hard to guess mainly because it's so convoluted. The journey, however, is quite enjoyable. Douglas Post has given Everleigh dialogue that is snarky, but covers a sensitive soul, and Slater has worked with director Patrick Sandford to make every moment seem realistic, even when the audience's imagination is supplying most of the details. As a play, Bloodshot is intuiting; as a celebration of a one-person performance, it is astounding."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...With a one-man show that has to navigate so much material, the burden of its success lies mostly with the actor. However, after seeing three solo shows during the Greenhouse Theater's Solo Celebration series, the unique pitfalls of this format become increasingly clear. A solo text, more than multi-character pieces, must provide a clear path for the actor to follow and a sturdy skeleton to lean on. Otherwise, they end up spending the entire show lugging it along, exhausted."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Part noir murder mystery, part addiction confession, part multi-character vaudeville act, “Bloodshot,” the latest play in Greenhouse Theater Center’s wonderful “Solo Celebration!”, is a wildly inventive two hours of theater."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Slater's multi-faceted performance, his movement from comedy to tragedy to romance and back again is seamless. In many performances, the audience is aware that there is an actor before them but Slater's delivery could not have exhibited more of a flawless, world-sucked-in effect. How someone can go from being a Russian to an Englishman in seconds flat is a mystery in itself. Slater tells Post's calculated tale with expertise and care unlikely to be replicated by another performer ."
