Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...The Writers' production is, in essence, a restaging of a 2008 production at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, as directed by Joseph Hanreddy (who ran the venerable Rep for years) and starring Deborah Staples, a leading light of Wisconsin theater. It is, for sure, a very skilled and carefully staged show. On Linda Buchanan's exceptionally clever set, Staples simply opens a different pair of doors during each transition and finds herself a separate little wardrobe, wherein she can age herself, switch wigs, change gender and the like."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...No question about it: Staples, a petite beauty — who has had a long association with Milwaukee Repertory but also many Chicago credits — is an actress of exceptional talent, and this show is a remarkable exercise that should be required viewing by anyone intrigued by the art of acting. But the overall quality (and believability) of Australian-bred writer Hewett’s play is more debatable. While its individual character studies can be sharp and revealing, it is far too contrived and gimmicky."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...The title suggests a noirish romp. But this 2004 piece by Australian playwright Robert Hewett turns out to be a sincere drama of the pebble-in-a-pond variety, where you watch the effects of a single act ripple out among people standing at various distances from it. The hook is that one actress plays all those people—not only the three women synecdochized in the title, but also a four-year-old boy, a lesbian doctor, an old widow, and a the husband who obsesses on the blonde, fucks the brunette, and betrays the redhead."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...The most poignant monologues come not from the titular characters, but from the people who’ve become involuntarily swept up in the domestic drama. Through the accounts of a lesbian doctor, her son and their next-door neighbor, Hewett explores the devastating effects one person’s actions have on an entire community. Staples’s fully realized characters compensate for the script’s contrivances. She creates a cast of individuals who would be easily distinguishable even without the wigs."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...Somewhere in this riveting narrative is the invisible hand of director Joseph Hanreddy. Surely actor and director here are like horse and rider, grand in their unity. And though it’s a one-woman show, the ensemble onstage with her is plainly visible in Keith Parham’s expressive lighting, Linda Buchanan’s minimalist set, Martha Hally’s defining costumes, Barry G. Funderburg’s sound design and, not least, Lara Dalbey’s story-telling wigs."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"... One leaves the Writers’ Theatre with nothing but admiration for Deborah Staples. Her acting skills and sheer stamina are wondrous. As a play, The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead has its difficulties, but Staples’s heroic performance is reason enough to see this production."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The Blonde, the brunette and the Vengeful Redhead is fabulous theatre that begs to be seen. You’ll be hard pressed to find a finer, more complete and varied performance by one actor that Deborah Staples offers in her enthralling performance. You’ll be surprised impressed at the transformation from vengeful to redemption by major characters in this powerful drama."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...From the very start and during each character change, we get to see a truly talented actress “do her thing”. We watch each character come to life and listen to each story of how each character’s life was affected and changed during this period of time. This is truly a DO NOT MISS performance where every piece makes for perfection. The lighting by Keith Parham sets the mood and tone as does the musical interludes ( sound by Barry Funderberg) and the costumes by Martha Hally and props by Nick Heggestad are by far the icing on the cake. Each piece has to be in the exact spot needed to make the transformation from character to character swift and graceful- and it is! This is a show filled with warmth, wit and compassion as the stories begin to intertwine and needless to say, an extraordinary performance by Deborah Staples, who spends over two hours on stage playing all these roles to absolute perfection!"
