Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...For much of the first act, the action isn't so far removed from the TV show "Big Love," in that the wives bicker and vie for control and clout. But the tones are very different. And "Eclipsed" most closely recalls the brilliant Lynn Nottage drama "Ruined" in its exploration of how much women suffer when the patriarchal African world, fueled by the way the West generally ignores the African people, puts them in wholly untenable positions."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...If all this sounds a bit schematic, well, it is. But Gordon has found ways to infuse the production with truth. And with the arrival of a book about Bill Clinton (and his “second wife,” Monica), Gurira not only infuses her story with comic relief, but very wittily reveals a gap in cultural perceptions that not even war can alter."
Daily Herald - Highly Recommended
"...Of all the skills an African woman possesses, the most crucial may be her ability to survive. Danai Gurira articulates that in painful detail in “Eclipsed,” a convincing, insightful examination of female self-preservation in the midst of nearly continuous civil wars waged for so long they have become the yardstick by which women measure their lives."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Infused with rigorous feminist thinking and amplified through unsparing stagecraft, Gurira's tiny, tightly focused story achieves an epic scope. Director Hallie Gordon and her astonishing cast make practically every moment of the play vital, exuberant, and devastatingly true."
Copley News Service - Highly Recommended
"...The Northlight production is blessed by five outstanding performances under Hallie Gordon’s insightful directing—Alana Arenas as Number 1, Leslie Ann Sheppard as the pregnant young woman, Paige Collins as the girl, Tamberla Perry as the belligerent Number 2, and Penelope Walker as the peacemaker from the city. They form a seamless ensemble that lifts the play’s tone beyond the grim to the absorbing."
Centerstage - Recommended
"...A stunning set design admirably captures the ironic beauty of a rebel army camp, with a marvelous skyline pouring light in the dreary world of the women prisoners."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...
What could be a schematic horrors-of-war play is enlivened by Gurira’s intelligent muddying of the moral waters as the tension ratchets up in Act II. Director Gordon deftly handles complicated tonal shifts in her gorgeously staged production. Each of Gordon’s five excellent actors gets a chance to astonish, but the cornerstones are Arenas’s no-nonsense No. 1 and Perry’s fiery, misguided No. 2; their final face-off is breathless."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...Eclipsed is a quietly powerful and poignant work that puts a face on the horrible role of women in a war environment. Playwright Gurira demonstrates the only viable alternative for these woman – either become sexual slave to a commander or his troops or grab an AK-47, start killing, usurping your power and control. Quite a choice. The story hinges on how The Girl struggles with her newly gained power as a soldier when a truce is declared. We see the scary future awaiting these women that includes either staying with the commander, going to a refugee camp to staying a soldier. We hope the woman will make the right decisions for themselves."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...As it focuses on the relationships of these five women, we see an odd sisterhood of survivors emerge. We find that even in the bleakest of times, choices must be made, and it's not just the fittest that survive. The production, the realistically detailed camp setting by Jack Magaw and the haunting acting of the five ladies, are all first rate. "Eclipsed" may not be a fun topic, but it is an important one and a valuable historical lesson as well as a personal look at the way different choices guide women."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...This is a strong story about the will and strength of each of these “survivors” and how they have learned to cope and deal with what has and is happening. Wife number two enjoys the special perks associated with being a “warrior” instead of a servant, and yet, she does the bidding of her captor; and when the play ends, it appears to be “over” and they are free to go. At this point, each has choices to make, either alone or together.We are far from situations such as this, but are well aware that these are in fact truths, so watching and listening to Ms Gurira’s, words as presented by Ms Gordon, we have an eye opening theatrical experience."
Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended
"...What are they fighting for? They never really know. What matters is the sisterly solidarity that compensates for so much austerity and adversity. The sheer range of the characterizations never registers more than in the scene where, stage right, Maima is showing The Girl how to shoot a gun, while, on the other side, Bessie teaches Helena how to write the letter “A” in the sand. So much of humanity lies between the literal sides of this stage."
