Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...The show is, to a large extent, subversive, a deconstruction of macho adventuring. Powell, of course, did not really discover anything, even if he, and his companion William Dunn, got to stick their names on various natural phenomena, that being one of the quests for immortality common among 19th-century adventurers. Not only had native peoples previously traversed their own birth lands — obviously — but white settlers of various stripes also had gone before Powell and his crew. They merely lacked what Powell brought — official government sanction, and therefore notice, academic gravitas and historical import. By bringing that postmodern sensibility to the explorer narrative, which is not uncommon in the theater, Backhaus pokes fun at these macho guys and their boyish need to traverse and dominate the wilds of North America, pretending to go first where plenty of men and women actually already had gone before. Without being as scared of snakes."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...The principal conceit in Backhaus' play (which Davis, now ATC's artistic director, also directed in New York) is its gender flipping, and while this can be amusing, it also can grow tiresome in its campiness. The most sensational aspect of the show - and the real reason to catch it - is the endlessly ingenious use of movement as the driving force of the storytelling. And Davis' remarkable Chicago cast is such a dazzlingly fine-tuned ensemble that you might think they've been working together for years, though that is not the case. Their work is heightened by the brilliance of William Boles' radically raked, deep-perspective set, and Brandon Wardell's magical lighting."
Theatre By Numbers - Somewhat Recommended
"...Which leads us to the performances, all uniformly good. Sivak stands out for sheer weirdness and her milking of oddly phrased pre-dinner blues tunes. Simpkins dominates her scenes by force of will, and Smith gently reminds everybody that being young and excited is no vice. O’Sullivan has the heaviest lifting to do as the major dissenter, but she manages to rise to Ishak’s goofy level when they debate whether napping has any value. All in all, the ensemble serves the material well. Their work deserved a more daring script."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This is a rousing, highly entertaining historical play with a river running through it. It’s unconventional and unpredictable, showcasing, not only the talents of its creative team and its ten-member ensemble cast, but of ATC’s brilliant, newly appointed artistic director, Will Davis. It’s fast-moving and filled with physicality and pathos, humor and heart, bringing a little-known real-life adventure to life for Chicago audiences. In short, this is a brilliant production to start the new year and one that should not be missed."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...This ensemble is a solid bromance. There's tension even in the comedy. A scene between Simpkins and Smith is slapstick and harrowing at the same time. The effervescent Smith must rescue the hilariously smug Simpkins from a cliff. The clever staging makes it appear to be a hopeless situation while still being funny. A nod out to the mysterious Sivak playing it both edgy and loony. Sivak looms creepily in the background and then unexpectedly starts to sing some nonsensical tune. Although Simpkins nods to the rhythm, the rest react to the bizarre antics. It's hilarious."
Third Coast Review - Somewhat Recommended
"...A story like this-a team's adventure fighting wild rivers-is difficult to dramatize on stage and the design team did not take the easy route of using projections of dramatic watery dangers. Davis' choreography of the 10 men rowing, heaving and ho-ing certainly imitates the activity described. But too much of the 100-minute play is devoted to this extreme exercise. After a few minutes, it's simply boring to watch. Men on Boats does offer some gentle humor, stories of personal bravery and tragedy, and a fascinating history lesson. The Powell expedition, for instance, meets members of the Ute tribe, who live on the reservation in southeastern Utah. The Utes offer the starving expeditioners food from their personal crops."
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...The result, nonetheless, is a production that offers sophisticated staging and exceptional ensemble work. Visually inventive, MEN ON BOATS is best viewed from the central seating area of American Theater Company’s space; the sightlines from smaller side sections are somewhat hampered by structural beams."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"..."Men On Boats" may be more morally ambiguous than Backhaus' "You On The Moors Now," which had its excellent Chicago premiere last year at The Hypocrites. Yet her vision is unique, essential and well-suited to Davis' own stated goals for his new home company. As an indication of the direction ATC is headed in, it signals many good things to come."
