Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Berry carefully unwinds the set-up to this story — and then lets it all explode just before intermission in a burst of collective anger and frustration that he lets rage before suddenly cutting off our view, cold. It's a very fine Act 1 curtain; it's as if Berry just cut a power cord, and you see the audience first frustrated and then subdued and thoughtful."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Steep, that hard-driving storefront with a taste for dark plays about the troubled relationships that can fester both within families and beyond, is now presenting the U.S. premiere of “Moment,” Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan’s drama of raw nerves that debuted to great acclaim at London’s Bush Theatre last year. It is now in the hands of director Jonathan Berry, that masterful choreographer and orchestrator of bleak intimacy who last season blew the lid off the place with his production of “Festen.”"
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...In the second act people mostly process their feelings. Steep Theatre has assembled a top-shelf cast (Cynthia Marker is astonishing as Niamh). But Kinahan's only insight is that awful things make people upset until they get over it."
Centerstage - Somewhat Recommended
"...And while the play builds to a satisfying pre-intermission eruption, it never really ventures into fresh territory. Many stories have been written about families with secrets, and the revelations offered here are nothing we haven’t seen before. For all the attention, craft and care clearly on hand, this is a dance we’ve seen before: the skaters, the ice, the cracking and the plunge."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"... Like last year’s Festen, also at Steep, Berry’s Moment delivers searingly honest family relationships. The reveal, and its Act II aftermath, rely on our recognizing the long, deep-seated history shared by the siblings, as well as the abject discomfort of being an outsider, like Nial’s new wife (Carey Lee Burton) or Niamh’s eager suitor (Alex Gillmor), when such intimate bruises are exposed. Kinahan is examining when—and even if—a family can regain balance after a major trauma. Berry sets the tone and pacing for maximum impact, and his terrific ensemble follows his lead, making this a Moment to remember."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...When each member of the family (and those related) face the truth of the family tragedy, explanations and reasons prevail as each comes to grips with the events of Nail’s crime. Plarkwright Deirdre Kinahan’s story vividly has much to say about the dynamics of an Irish family where forgiveness may be forgetfulness as loyalties are tested fully. This is a fast-paced drama with excellent acting anchored by the strong performances byMaggie Cain and Cynthia Marker with fine work by Josh Odor and Julia Siple. Once more, Steep Theatre offers a terrific evening of theatre. They are a Chicago treasure."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...Deceptively domestic, this 2009 depiction of an inter-clan feud by Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan is now in a compelling U.S. premiere from the enterprising Steep Theatre Company. Shrewd and scary, it reminds us that the people who think they know us best can do more harm than the ones who never pretend to such dangerous omniscience."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...As adults, our childhood becomes unescapable and inevitable supper chitchat combined with silent pauses. MOMENT is an Irish family in turmoil. The Lynches finally deal with the lingering aftermath from their childhood. The story is unputdownable and the ending is unexpectedly loving. Take this MOMENT and get a ticket... Tick-Tock! Don't miss your moment to see this selling-out show!"