| Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...There is an argument to be made, I suppose, that the piece does not have enough context and analysis to justify unleashing (some might say wallowing in) these rough personal histories, in such graphic detail, on an unsuspecting audience. I see the line of thinking but don't really buy it myself — these are very difficult topics to bring up in the theater, as in life, and there is only one way to do so, which is directly and honestly, letting the aesthetic, political, critical and box-office chips fall where they may. That is what Orlandersmith is doing, and it is gutsy, admirable and the only way to make such a piece work."
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Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Under Chay Yew's meticulous direction, on a set furnished with a single wooden chair, Orlandersmith uses subtle vocal and physical shifts to create a half dozen distinct and convincing personae, from a homeless preteen sex worker to a troubled social worker to a well-established financial executive. Her efficient, carefully observed portraits are horrifying, pathetic, and dishearteningly familiar. Now all she needs is an editor: the final half hour reiterates what's already obvious, and a pedophile's monologue doesn't belong."
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NewCity Chicago - Recommended
"...The piece is not without its difficulties; its structure doesn’t support its length and certain stories are an awkward fit. But Orlandersmith’s presence puts the point across: young men and boys are in danger of slipping through the cracks."
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Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...I would have desired that the show had ended up grabbing my heart in such a way that I felt compelled to help end this cycle of abuse in our world. Whereas Orlandersmith’s contemporary Anne Deavere Smith manages to move me while highlighting her topic (such as the broken health care system), the authoritative creator of Black N Blue Boys nonetheless offers a performance piece saturated with realistic characters who each have a compelling story to tell."
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