Chicago Tribune
- Not Recommended
"...After an hour or so in its presence, you feel very much inclined to assassinate this particular production, even though director Kyle Hamman oversees a cast of 18 actors and a decent-size orchestra to boot. Somebody, it seems, forgot to tell Strawdog Theatre it was producing a musical, which has the basic requirement that the lead actors be able to sing."
Chicago Sun Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Neveu often makes the lyrics a neat extension of the dialogue. And Fiksel’s score, played live by The Denizens (with fine vocal arrangements by Andra Velis Simon), is stylish and inventive, with an intriguingly discordant overture, several smart monologue-style songs and the clever use of a waltz and a tango. Though the acting is mostly solid here, the voices leave something to be desired."
Daily Herald
- Somewhat Recommended
"...More than old-style politics, "Old Town" is about loyalty and family obligations from which it is impossible to escape. That conflict makes for a compelling drama. Unfortunately, "Old Town" is a so-so show. But what makes it work -- and parts of it do work -- is the acting, especially that of ensemble members McDonnell and Ferrick, whose performances ring true even when the script does not."
Chicago Reader
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The script’s biggest shortcoming is its lack of detail. What are the scandals that plague her father? What exactly is wrong with her marriage? We’re never told. Perhaps Neveu is being deliberately vague in order to distill the elements of the plot to their essence. In drama, though, universality emerges from specifics. Right now this world premiere feels like a rough draft. But Old Town is an intriguing, quirky little show that, with some work, could have a future."
Windy City Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...If the material isn't the greatest, the entire Strawdog ensemble acts the hell out of it under Kyle Hamman's direction. They may not be great singers (which is apparent when trained singer Smith belts out a powerful speech), but they all can hold a tune and sell the text."
Chicago Free Press
- Recommended
"...While several of his anthems are rousing and a couple others shimmer with heartfelt truisms, the rest of Neveu’s songs hit squarely in the middle ground of musical theater shallowness. It doesn’t help that several of the leads are clearly not singers and that the talented backing band, The Denizens, often overpowers even the most accomplished performers. Still the strengths in Neveu’s vision are more essential than its weaknesses and the uniqueness of its focus renders this production as a most welcoming theatrical experience."
Centerstage
- Somewhat Recommended
"...While Gregor Mortis nailed casting with decisions in McDonnell, Ferrick and a few others, the play unfortunately beams a bright light on some weak links, making for an uneven viewing experience. Either a smaller, more focused cast or more McDonnell-like actors and singers would turn a play that deserves a bravo or two into one that demands a boisterous standing ovation."
Time Out Chicago
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Chris Hainsworth as a soused playboy lunkhead and Tom Hickey as a thick-jawed political-machine lunkhead are both inviting; they all make the whole thing look quite real. Meanwhile, a serviceably melodic score by Fiksel and some golden-age musical trifles in the lyrics—Neveu makes something rhyme with mayonnaise—create the feel of a real new musical. But somehow I’m not quite convinced that it is one."
