Johnny 10 Beers' Daughter Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Somewhat Recommended
"...Their rapport is testy and awkward as they fish or skip stones together, their visits fueled by can after can of beer, but too often their interactions have a way of feeling practiced. Of strangers pretending to have a bond. Their conversations, though full of patter, don't reveal much about who they are as people. The dysfunction is real, but the play doesn't get you inside their heads enough."
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...From the moment the lights come up onstage, we're drawn in, and with each passing scene we care more and more about the two main characters: a needy daughter seeking validation and her psychologically wounded ex-marine father. Arti Ishak and Randy Steinmeyer play the pair with sometimes terrifying full-throttle intensity, heightened by Emmi Hilger's simple, unobtrusive direction. Formby tells her story well; hours after the play ended I found myself still brooding over the fates of these two lost souls."
Windy City Times- Highly Recommended
"...Randy Steinmeyer and Arti Ishak straddle the arc of a narrative as elusive as a desert mirage with never a stumble under Emmi Hilger's intensive direction, while Nick Lannan's pinpoint-precise replication of military protocol ( except for one brief moment precipitated by a costume change ) rivets us within the restrictive universe occupied by two generations doomed to seek glory and emerge with only regret."
The Fourth Walsh- Highly Recommended
"...This story is tight. Formby opens our eyes to the overlooked victims of war. Their pain is real. And their stories are the kind no one wants to believe happen. The drama is intense yet Formby peppers the dialogue with humor. She also digs deeper for a stunning reveal that is unforgettable. JOHNNY's 10 BEER DAUGHTER is the trifecta of writing, directing and acting. A must see!"