Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...The production, very cleverly designed by Courtney O'Neill, does have its moments. There is a fine scene between Kane's Elwood and the redoubtable A.C. Smith, who plays the presiding doctor. Amy J. Carle, who plays the working-class character who understands Elwood far better than his pretentious family, is clear, direct and real. But for much of the rest of the time, real connections between Elwood and everyone else are thin on the ground. Thus the overall stakes never rise as they should. And the play does not work as it could."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Timothy Edward Kane is probably best known for his tour de force as the tortured, tunnel-dwelling poet in Court's An Iliad, first presented in 2011 and reprised in 2013. Here, he's all courtly civility and amiable smirks, with a dancerly knack for physical comedy. Kane's Elwood actually seems to move at a more generous pace than those around him. Two small, silent things he does-scooting over to make room for Harvey on a couch and dropping a pen into his breast pocket-are hilariously eloquent. Going in, I thought I'd have trouble forgetting Jimmy Stewart's Elwoodian turn in the 1950 movie adaptation. I didn't."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...There are charms to be found in de Mayo's production, among them Courtney O'Neill's magical scenic design, and the director's decision to gender-flip the minor character of Judge Gaffney to allow for casting the ever wonderful Jacqueline Williams. But ultimately, for Chase's comedy to work, we need to identify to some degree with Elwood's uncanny decency, Veta's social anxieties and the pierceable pomposity of haughty psychologist Dr. Chumley (A.C. Smith); instead, here there are a range of approaches and no central truth. There's a disconnect between farce and feeling; the balance is as elusive as Harvey himself."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...In these parlous times, it’s good to remember that Mary Chase’s radiant moral comedy “Harvey” won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. As Elwood P. Dowd, the protagonist who pals around with a 6-foot-tall invisible white rabbit, might say: I’d like to see a prize awarded to Court Theatre for its lovely staging of the play."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...Harvey is disarmingly humane with loads of heart. On stage, it works almost as good as the 1950 film with Jimmy Stewart. Harvey is unpretentious and cute. You'll have a "hopping" good time (sorry)...tell them Harvey sent you."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"... Kudos to Court Theatre for bringing back one of my favorite classic comedies, “Harvey”. Mary Chase’s play about a 6-ft. rabbit premiered on Broadway in 1944, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945, and was made into a movie starring Jimmy Stewart in 1950. It was a joy to watch this talented cast, directed by Devon de Mayo, bring “Harvey” to life. It was an evening of pure entertainment wrapped up in nostalgia!"
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...All the elements are there, but admittedly, “Harvey” did not quite soar for me, and that is likely due more to Chase’s original material that the efforts of De Mayo and her cast/crew. I do not say this to suggest that all stories need to be severe and depressing – as Jack Lemmon and other actors have insisted, dying is easy, comedy is hard – and indeed, the moral of “Harvey,” that we should accept one’s eccentricities and resist packing everyone into tight, comforting, boring archetypes, is one everyone should consider. But at the end of the evening, “Harvey” ends up feeling slight, minor, a perfectly enjoyable show that was adapted into a superior film. But given the caliber of Court’s cast and its considerable production chops, “Harvey” is still recommended."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Recommended
"..."Harvey" is really a farce, complete with numerous doors that open and close in the hurly burly of dithering characters coming and going. It's a silly play that has an underlying social theme should the production choose to emphasize it. The Court staging under Devon De Mayo's directing emphasizes the broad comic features of Mary Chase's script. Viewers who decide to elevate the play into social and even philosophical commentary are free to do so. The opening night audience clearly preferred to enjoy "Harvey" for its laughs. The giggles from the viewers were almost continuous as the improbability of an invisible six-foot rabbit unfolded."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...Harvey may seem like a bit of theatrical fluff, and it is a charming, funny play about a man who you would enjoy having a drink with, even if you're a teetotaler. But Harvey has its serious sides too. It reminds us of how mental patients used to be treated (cold baths, strait jackets, injections of mysterious fluids) and that a hallucinatory man (Elwood) is more credible to the hospital powers than a mostly sane woman (Veta)."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...Watching the play directed by Devon de Mayo, it is hard not to make comparisons to the much loved Jimmy Stewart version. This production stands on its own and you will fall for Timothy Edward Kane much like we did for Jimmy Stewart."