Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"... Kohl brings warm-hearted intelligence and just a tinge of sadness to her pioneering playwright, and Kron (who plays three characters in addition to Gwynne) and Karch zig and zag between their multiple bewigged roles with comic elan. Stephen H. Carmody’s shoebox set proves surprisingly sturdy for all the abuse it takes, and Alarie Hammock’s costumes provide hints of anachronistic fun (the white patent platform boots worn by Kron’s overbearing theater owner, Lady Davenant, are a particularly nice touch). Caffeine’s witty and tensile production does great honor to both Behn and to Adams, whose work deserves more airings on Chicago stages."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...It's a farce, yes, but not an idiotic one. Adams substitutes a fizzy, contemporary sensibility for historical accuracy. In Catherine Weidner's nimble staging for Caffeine Theatre, Megan Kohl gives Behn the playfulness and intelligence of one of Shakespeare's comic heroines. Meanwhile, quick-change artists Kay Kron and Edward Karch are hilarious as everybody else."
Centerstage - Recommended
"... The beauty of farce is the elegance of it. Just as one person throws open the door, another person scurries behind a curtain, and misunderstandings pile on top of one another in a rapid but carefully constructed fashion, until we reach a dizzying conclusion. Catherine Weidner’s nimble direction keeps all the elements in smooth motion here, and Kach and Kron, who each play more than one character, easily jump between identities. (A quibble: all this playing with identity and no cross-dressing?"
Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"... Stephen H. Carmody’s open set design, with its ropes and pulleys and views of backstage, meshes well with the playfulness of Adams’s script, which suggests an affinity between the Restoration of the 1660s and the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Megan Kohl radiates warmth and charm as Aphra, but on opening night Kay Kron and Edward Karch hadn’t quite mastered the quick-change magic required for them to play multiple characters. Catherine Weidner’s direction feels cramped into endless circles around a chaise; Carmody’s stage doesn’t give Behn and company enough room to rove."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...This funny farce deftly moves from Restoration drama written in rhyming verse to vulgar prose ripe with obscenities. While Megan Kohl nicely plays Aphra, Edward Karch and Kay Kron deliciously move around six other characters. The result is a raucous farce smartly written and effectively played by the three players. Kay Kron steals her scenes and Edward Karch rolls through his quick-change rituals. The effect is a one hour and twenty minute comic adventure that never takes itself too seriously but it lands enough humor to capture our hearts. Alarie Hammock’s costumes add color as they help define each character. Or, is a cute, well acted show that uses just enough Restoration melodrama and modern farce to stimulate our interest. It is worth a look."
Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended
Or is the perfect theatrical outing. In the moment, I was entranced in the story. Afterwards, I was intrigued to wikipedia each of the characters’ history. Reading around the play made me appreciate even more Adams clever writing. Believe me when I say see Or…. or you’ll regret it!
