Chicago Sun Times
- Recommended
"...Director Aaron Todd Douglas, a founding member of Chicago's Congo Square Theatre Company, gives us a straightforward, traditional rendering of the play aside from one element: The jury he has "selected" is far more diverse, with blacks and Latinos now part of the mix, along with Rose's original blend of working-class and professional types and one European refugee. (No women, of course; the play's title wouldn't permit that.)"
Chicago Reader
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Beyond the casting gambit, Douglas brings few ideas to his production. The show proceeds dutifully and unimaginatively to its inevitable conclusion. With acting that generally ranges from serviceable to stiff, the dialogue rarely has the ring of authenticity and the numerous bursts of anger often seem to spring from nowhere. As Juror Eight, C.L. Brown makes a compelling case for his character's humanity—but then he's got the only role that's something more than a mouthpiece."
Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The heroes of crime stories nowadays—whether fictional or actual—are most often lawyers or police, authority figures being more attractive to mainstream audiences. But this glimpse of our judicial system from half a century ago serves to remind us of the power invested in a jury of peers—something to think about next time you're called for duty."
Talkin Broadway
- Recommended
"...Director Aaron Todd Douglas quickly gets his cast playing the 12 jurors on a murder trial into high gear. They enter the jury room with sweat on their brows, eager to get out of the room as quickly as they can. By the time their spritzed-on sweat evaporates, the actors are so fully engaged in confronting the single holdout that refuses to vote for a guilty verdict that you don't even notice if the actors are now producing their own sweat. Douglas gives the piece an intriguing little twist by making the dissenting juror—played in the 1957 and 1997 film versions as a paragon of reason by the ultimate nice guys Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon respectively—as a little less noble, and a bit of a troublemaker."
Time Out Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...it’s up to the actors to breathe life into this classic inspection of American justice and prejudice; Douglas’s strong ensemble does it handily. Christopher Brown, as Juror No. Eight, especially shines; his fascinating, slightly inscrutable charisma is the production’s best attribute. Juror No. Three, as played by Dan Loftus, makes an effective foil, an angry old man we love to hate even as we learn to empathize with him. A vibrant rendition of a great play."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...Twelve Angry Men is a timely, riveting drama that will get you thinking about your preconceptions and stereotypes. It is a reminder that we must question apparent facts before making tough decisions. Raven Theatre has another fine production worthy of an audience."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Recommended
"...This is a well done production with a very realistic set design by Kelly Dailey, with the exception of the buildings outside the window. The lighting by Christine Ferriter and sound by Rick Sims (who also wrote the background music) all add to the total picture, and the costumes by Sharlet Webb were pretty close to that period in accuracy. All in all, I would have to say that this production lives up to the quality that we have learned to expect at The Raven and I strongly suggest that you put this one on your list of plays to see. To watch how these characters alter their feelings and beliefs is to realize just how frail we are when it comes to what is argument and what is logic and where should we be when it comes to being right or wrong. In fact one can ask where do we draw the line when it comes to "profiling" a person by what we think he or she is versus what they truly are?"
