Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...I've seen "Starcatcher" three times now and it has grown on me on each occasion. Others loved it from the get-go with far more gusto than I - the insatiable fascination with this particular story has bemused me at times - but, especially now that Rees is gone, the piece feels wise, poignant, honest and, well, understanding of our hopeless desire to never grow old. The Lost Boys yuk it up with the best of 'em in this show, but they also talk about the darkness that surrounds those unlucky enough to be lost in one of the world's many caves, hoping to catch at least a partial glimpse of a star."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...The play (with all too few songs by Wayne Barker), is an unabashed homage to theater itself, and to the very essence of make believe that is at the core of the “Peter Pan” story. With its nods to vaudeville, story theater (a la “Nicholas Nickleby”), camp, old-fashioned hamming and Wildean wordplay, it explores all forms of the art, and suggests how exceptional physical daring, along with some planks and ropes (and quite a bit more), can create a world that needs only an audience’s engagement to be completed. Its engaging subtext goes further, suggesting that everyone wants to be a performer, “a star,” in some way, shape or form."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Still, Peter, unlike Wicked, never throws any real weight behind its twists. Sure, an orphan gets a name, and the word "home" is thrown around a lot. But none of that matters nearly as much as Elice's blizzard of malapropisms, puns, and fart jokes. If you like that sort of thing, knock yourself out: director William Osetek makes sure it's all engagingly executed. But 150 minutes of it?"
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...More to the point, Osetek and his fine cast execute it to a T. Newcomer Caleb Donahoe is winningly energetic as the unnamed boy who becomes Peter Pan; Emma Rosenthal, as the overachieving, uptight Molly, is a bit by the book, but that may just be the role. And speaking of roles, there's no question which one gets to run away with the show: the flamboyantly villainous Black Stache. The future Captain Hook is as overconfident as he is inept, and the thoroughly charming Matt Mueller makes a meal of him. Give that man a hand."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Sporadic tenderness notwithstanding, the only treatment for Elice's relentless tomfoolery is distraction, not direction. Blessed with Scott Davis' supple platform playground and inventive props, Sally Dolembo's self-satirizing costumes, Ray Nardelli's potent sound design, and Diane Ferry Williams' witty lighting, this Peter proves effortfully entertaining. At times it's so foolishly fantastic you could give in and guffaw. But Barrie did us better and audiences deserve the difference."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...Peter and the Starcatcher is certainly a masterpiece of creative energy as far as staging goes. And a large portion of the dialogue is indeed funny, satirical, or sweet. An audience just has to know what they're getting beforehand. At one point, Molly explains to the Boy that the starstuff could be dangerous if it were to fall into the hands of a tyrant "like Caesar, or Napoleon, or Ayn Rand." "Or Queen Victoria?" he asks. "No, that's different," she replies. This is one of the better examples of the show's fourth-wall breaking humor. Others involve squid poop. In Act II, the children perform a pantomime of Sleeping Beauty that is daringly similar to the show they are actually in. Osetek's focus on the humor means the story takes a while to find its substance. When it does, it is a fine tribute to J.M. Barrie's moving, but haunting original. But reaching that point requires patience, and until then, the audience would do best to join in the light-hearted fun."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...Drury Lane Oakbrook continues their 2015-2016 season with a captivating, remarkable tale for all ages which guides you on a fantastical journey filled with laughter and action and memorable characters."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...This show is fun, and it really shows its true colors in the second act. It is NOT a musical, but a play with music. The play is written by Rick Elice and is based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, with music by Wayne Barker and it is a “prequel” that tells us a great deal about one of literature’s most famous characters, “Peter Pan”!"
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This wonderful play with music, now enjoying its first Chicago regional production, swept the 2012 Tony Awards with five wins. Although older children and teenagers will certainly enjoy it, this show is clearly aimed at adults and will appeal to every theatergoer hoping to treat his inner child. Saturated with typically British humor, it’s the kind of show for audiences who enjoy the offbeat humor of Monty Python and Benny Hill. Sporting an intricately-contrived plot and a two-and-a-half hour running time, this production may feel a bit long for audiences accustomed to television. However, imagine a show in which an assortment of old planking and ropes turn into sailing ships, where the bars of a prison cell become the grin of a giant crocodile and children fly with the help of their friends. This very special production, which incorporates the audience’s imagination in a partnership with a company of talented artists, is the real starstuff that makes this magical production soar."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Recommended
"...Artistic director William Osetek does a marvelous job of orchestrating the ensemble, whether they are on land, on the sea, or in the air. The carefully synchronized movements look spontaneous; an end product of what must have been some pretty intense rehearsals to get a dozen players to move about in such accord."
