Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Hellman's script devolves into a melodramatic denouement, and some of the actors become difficult to understand in the more histrionic sections. But there's more wit on display here than the grim subject matter might suggest. The perfectly honed interactions between Wilke's henchmen, nervous switchblade kid Joe Easter (Jeremy Glickstein) and tooth-sucking mook Mossie (Eustace Allen) feel like they were lifted from an unsung noir masterpiece."
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Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...the Artistic Home’s production is punctuated with magnetically theatrical moments. The second act’s stark, anxious opening is pitch-perfect, quickly restoring the action and interest of the play. There’s also a beautiful silent moment in which Julie (Leavey Ballou) slumps on a couch, her shadow hitting the cushions in such a precise mirror image that she seems to be facing two dark directions at once. Indeed, Francesca Bourgault’s lighting is universally excellent, and the sound design, costumes and sets contribute to a rich picture of the period’s style."
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Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...While union busting provides context, the focus is on the family members' inability to empathize with one another. Illicit sex and murder aren't far behind. Under the skillful direction of Kathy Scambiatterra, Artistic Home serves up an invigorating production brilliantly acted by an ensemble cast."
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NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"...The script has its glitches; wife Julie Rodman’s (Leavey Ballou) dalliance with union man Leo Whalen (Tim Patrick Miller) seems to materialize out of thin air. But the ensemble, under Kathy Scambiatterra’s astute direction, smoothes over the rough spots: Miller’s regular-joe organizer is a model of conflicted decency; Gerard Jamroz’s slimy hood is a silky menace. Eustace Allen’s teeth-sucking thug is great fun; in typical Hellman fashion, we love the characters we should hate."
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Windy City Times - Highly Recommended

"...The Artistic Home is an actors' theatre, first and foremost, and the company, assembled under Kathy Scambiatterra's direction, deftly navigate its rat-a-tat dialogue to deliver uniformly well-crafted performances, down to the last nuance and grace note, redeeming all traces of heavy-handed propaganda. The technical values—in particular, Joseph Riley and Gretel Ulyshen's elegant sunroom, along with Adam Smith's sound effects—likewise reflect an attention to ambient detail contributing to suspense engendered by the high stakes in a war of attrition mandating hard decisions on all fronts."
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Chicago Free Press - Somewhat Recommended

"...The play’s problem is that important revelations arrive almost too late to matter. Hellman doesn’t set up what’s at stake early enough for us to care as much as we should about what’s coming. Too many burning discoveries come out of nowhere, rather unconvincing when you realize that’s they’ve probably been festering for years, waiting for the right crisis to explode them."
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Centerstage - Recommended

"... there is plenty of satisfaction to be had. The performances are almost universally strong, with Leavey Ballou, as the factory owner's chronically unsatisfied wife, and Justine Serino, as his stuck-up sister, particularly vibrant. The play won't ever join the ranks of Hellman's classic works, but for those with an affection for exciting 1930s theatre performed with conviction, it's well worth a visit."
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Chicago Theater Blog - Somewhat Recommended

"...Artistic Home’s production succeeds most when it fulfills the melodramatic mode of the play—as it does in those scenes centering on the strikebreakers/thugs hired by the Rodman family to disrupt the ongoing strike at their factory. Scenes where Mossie (Eustace Allen) and Joe (Jeremy Glickstein) play cards while they “guard” the Rodman house build with crackling intensity; while Wilke (Gerard Jamroz) their boss oozes criminality out of every pore. Jamroz absolutely shines in this role—coy, sleazy, and unctuous when he needs to be; pouring on coarse brutality when it serves. His performance almost steals the play."
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ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended

"...The ensemble gave wonderfully complete and deeply nuances performances as each wholly enveloped their characters. Leavey Ballou, Tim Patrick Miller and Joe McCauley were particularly effective. Director Kathy Scambiatterra nicely paced the show to develop the dramatic tension most effectively. The folks at the Artistic Home have another gem to offer. Don’t miss this show. At $22 -$25 per ticket for an Equity production, the Artistic Home is an entertainment bargain."

Steadstyle Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...The Artistic Home production boasts an attractive set designed by Joseph Riley, nice attention to period detail and an altogether engaging ensemble cast under Kathy Scambiatterra's incisive direction. But the play feels hollow and unresolved. With the exception of the worker Tom Firth, none of the characters are particularly sympathetic or interesting. There's a sprinkle of violence, murder and suggested adultery but it doesn't add up to much. Just as the characters of Andrew, Julie, Cora and their lawyer friend Henry Ellicott stand helplessly by and watch their American Dream dissolve into a nightmare, the quartet sinks into a sad and bitter stew of animosity and indifference."
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