Catch The Fish presented by The Poor Theatre at Rivendell Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...To his credit, the undeniably fit Kelleher does a pretty good job at convincing us that Jordan still suffers from a variety of self-esteem problems. But too many side issues are crammed into the 90-minute running time, and its central thesis about the corrupting nature of the pursuit of celebrity feels warmed over from superior examinations of the lust for fame."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...The performances in Will Crouse's staging for the Poor Theatre aren't always as layered as the script is, which can make the people of this 80-minute one-act seem schizo rather than multifaceted. Only Dillon Kelleher, as a somewhat puppyish would-be ladies' man, manages to communicate the desperate loneliness behind the pose."

Theatre By Numbers - Highly Recommended

"...Director Will Crouse steers his cast through scenes that could easily have been written for television, rather than the stage. His piece benefited greatly from having two really strong leads. Kelleher and Smith both showed muscle in their scenes. They were engaging as they spoke and as they listened. It was their scenes which had clearly received the most attention, their through-line the most care. Scenes that worked far less were those featuring Zoquera Milburn as Lindsay Sands, an actress wannabe who reluctantly uses her body to get jobs that objectify her despite wanting to be seen as something more. Lindsay embodies the shallow side of the actor’s life as most people understand it. She’s the closest thing to a stereotype in the play. But, upon looking at the lines, she doesn’t have to be. Milburn’s portrayal is surface-level at best, and the scenes which feature Spielman and her, clearly do not elevate to the level of the other couple. The directorial nuances are missing and result in something more clunky. I’m going to chalk that up to inexperience and youth… a bit ironic in a play that spotlights the young and their inexperience."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...Catch the Fish captures the voices of the youthful LA scene and the manipulation that twists the relationships of those trying to find their place in it (or in the glossy pages of pop culture journals). This is its strength and weakness. Though some of the problems the characters face are universal, most are as distant as the dreams of fame and fortune the characters seek to attain. The pace of the production does not quite match the desperate quest for fame and fortune and the fear of oblivion that propels the characters, or allow us to overlook the decidedly outmoded view of women's place in the world."