Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"..."In a Garden," which is a terrific, concise piece of satiric writing, doesn't really get the production it needs at A Red Orchid, where the show seems to get trapped in unnecessarily obtuse Middle Eastern dialects. Rom Barkhordar has his moments as the minister of culture, Othman, but the performance lacks the energy, zest and surety to propel the show forward. Similarly, Emilio Robles, who plays the ruling Najid, lets every vocal tic imaginable roll around his tongue, but at the expense of dramatic impetus."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...The genius of this work, deftly directed by Lou Contey, lies in the subtle shrewdness with which Korder captures the uneasy friendship and pervasive psychological tension between these two very different worlds by chronicling the interaction of two men who develop personal, artistic and entrepeneurial ties. Unspooling over 15 geopolitically turbulent years, from 1989 to 2004, "In a Garden" begins as the Minister of Culture of Aquaat, a fictional country very much like Iraq, welcomes a struggling American architect who hopes to win a fat commission for a major project."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...In nine scenes covering 15 years, we watch the ineluctable arc of Najid's tyranny transform both Hackett's commission-a gazebo in a garden-and his relationship with Othman. What looks at first like a straight-out satire turns dark and even touching in Lou Contey's staging. Larry Grimm makes a study of frustration as Hackett, but it's Rom Barkhordar's show: his Othman is a minor functionary of tragic complexity."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Company member Larry Grimm acquits himself valiantly as Andrew Hackett, a role written as little more than a foil, while Shannon Parr and Emilio G. Robles lend what humanity they can to U.S. army officer Prudhomme and Aquaati leader Najid, but the story we take home is that of two sympathetic men caught up in a world where the winds of unrest blow away all the leaves."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...Yet the play gradually reveals itself to be saying something about the nature and purpose of art. Though Othman spent time living in the U.S., it's through Hollywood that he understands American culture. Similarly, the structure he asks Hackett to design-a "summer house," or gazebo-strikes the architect as oddly unuseful and disappointingly small-scale, but Othman insists on its importance and demands that Hackett transcend his initial, half-assed attempts. All the while, a portrait of the country's Saddam-like dictator looms over them, suggesting another function of art. Grimm and Barkhordar's nuanced performances keep us interested, while Josh Horvath's sound design makes masterful use of broadcast news snippets to evoke the time line."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...In brief, Korder's In a Garden is a sophisticated and frequently moving play on the oppressive nature of the state and our often quixotic efforts to be free from it. A lyrical tragedy in the guise of a social drama, theatergoers will be delighted at Korder's ability to counter our expectations and to keep us on our toes."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...IN A GARDEN depicts the Middle East crisis from the inside out. It's a powerful interior view of political deconstruction. Scenic Designer Joel Schermoly adds visual reinforcement to the finale by creatively destroying part of the set. The symbolism was compelling in a show focused on building a lasting tribute."