Happy Days Reviews
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...There is music enough in Beckett's troubling text, about a woman trapped (literally, in a pile of debris, and figuratively, in the tiresome ephemera of her life), and in Melissa Lorraine's bravura performance as his beleaguered protagonist. Lorraine mines all the dark laughter in Beckett's gallows wit without sacrificing any of the short, powerful work's subterranean meaning. Even without its cool soundtrack, this is a brilliant interpretation of a brilliant play."
ChicagoCritic- Somewhat Recommended
"...As I mentioned, I feel that this content must have made a much bolder statement in 1961, but the world we live in today is far too cynical already. This script doesn’t make today’s audience think, but rather just agree. I feel that Beckett’s efforts were to shake up an audience and get people to think differently, not to pander to an audience about an already agreed upon statement. Despite everything else, it was an interesting play with a coherent message. Personally, I didn’t love it, but I’m sure a lot of people would. Still, there are certain things that should be left to their time, and I feel that though the statement is still true, the sentiment is not, and Happy Days should have stayed behind."
Chicago Stage and Screen- Highly Recommended
"...Theatre Y’s Happy Days is a riveting, energized production about the problem of “lingering in existence,” to quote Evan Hill, the actor who played Willie. I quote Mr. Hill because his thoughts about Happy Days are articulate and intelligent. Indeed, many of the folks involved with the production freely discussed (either in the program, press release, or at the talkback) the philosophical quandaries and personal takeaways of this Beckett classic."