Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...The young Scottish cast of "Black Watch" is also mostly different from the last stateside tour of duty. And it's certainly true that as this international hit show from the National Theatre of Scotland gets further from its first production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006 and becomes more of a profitable, perpetually touring product and the province of staff directors and the like, inorganic dangers lurk. I can smell 'em waiting in the wings. That said, this new cast is honoring its predecessors (and a few, like current standout Chris Starkie, have been doing this march for a while and staying sharp)."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"... In the show’s breathtaking finale, the cast of 10 (which effortlessly suggests hundreds and includes Fletcher, Jack, Chris Starkie as the short-fused Stewarty, and Cameron Barnes, Scott Fletcher, Andrew Fraser, Stephen McCole, Adam McNamara, Richard Rankin and Gavin Jon Wright), breaks into a grueling maneuver, alternately marching in formation, falling and getting hauled back into high-stepping line. By then you might still not fully understand what it means to be in the war zone, but without doubt you are profoundly changed."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Steven Hoggett's intense movement sequences remain gloriously choreographed representations of the violence, longing and uncertainty of soldiers at war, but each scene could shave a minute or two, and you notice Cammy (Ryan Fletcher) and pals getting repetitive in the stories they tell a researcher (Robert Jack). But if their descriptions hinge on cliches, they're oh-so-artfully arranged."
ShowBizChicago - Highly Recommended
"... BLACK WATCH would also not be the success that it is without its stellar 10 man cast. Highlights include a gritty and stalwart Adam McNamara as Rossco; Chris Starkie as the emotionally devastated Stewarty; Robert Jack is the vulnerable writer who tries illicit the buried turmoil of the lads and Ryan Fletcher is a powerful Cammy as is his brother, Scott Fletcher as Kenzie who has some of the best scenes with his mate, Andrew Fraser (Franz)."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...No question, Black Watch, like Black Hawk Down, is the stuff that hits our “hearts and minds” hard. These Scottish soldier actors are bold boys indeed as they strut about the stage in perfect formation or indulge in seemingly endless wrestling bouts to discharge the aggression that comes with the territory. Tartan testosterone fairly surges across the stage."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...Melding pageantry with pathos, Black Watch is a compelling look at the kind of St. Crispin's-style camaraderie that still imbues soldiers today even as it struggles to survive the cynicism of the 21st century. While it may be next to impossible for a non-native to comprehend every word spoken by the talented troupe, there's no doubting their sincerity and skill in bringing these stories to life. The way in which they have chosen to illustrate these internal and external battles speaks in a way that moves beyond words."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...Thought-provoking and engaging, Black Watch covers a wealth of history without losing focus. The tale of the formation of the Watch is dynamic, with Cammie going through a series of uniform changes as his story moves though time. Each performance is nuanced, especially when the men read letters from home and their gruffness fades, turning them back to the boys they are, all without saying a word. A moving military formation exercise at the close of the show is perhaps the most emotional sequence, as the men try valiantly to keep up their pace, only to fall and fall again."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"... The credit for direction goes to John Tiffany, but along with Associate Director ( movement) Steven Hoggett is listed), but to be hones, the movement in this 1 hour forty five minutes ( no intermission) is more choreographed than directed. Remember, we are in an Armory- a large cavern of a building where audience members are seated on two sides. While the set-up is bleacher style risers, the seats are “chairs”, padded and comfy chairs, so there is no distraction from the action on the “stage”. The sides ( to our right and left) are where the actors emerge from wither a tank type door or a curtain with stairs and levels that have other uses, one of which ( at the very next to last scene) is mind boggling. Laura Hopkins’ set is clever with a pool table that is a true “wonder”."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Black Watch is an aggressive piece of movement theater that combines dance, stage fighting, acrobatics, raucous singing and lots and lots and lots of profanity to tell the story of the Scottish Black Watch regiment’s deployment during the war in Iraq. It’s an athletic, emotional journey that demonstrates that there are some things that theater can still do better than film."
