Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Ike Holter's "Hit the Wall," which is now up at the Greenhouse Theater Center, is a project of a young company called The Inconvenience and was first seen as part of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Garage Repertory. After a critically acclaimed Chicago run (I was one of those doing the acclaiming), "Hit the Wall," a freewheeling show about the Stonewall riots that kicked off the modern gay-rights movement, transferred off-Broadway to the Barrow Street Theatre. There, a very different production by a mostly New York-based cast quickly hit the skids."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Stylized, fictionalized, but essentially faithful to published accounts, Ike Holter's script establishes a small community of misfits and predators—from Tano and Mika, the fey Statler and Waldorf of Christopher Street, to an overheated cop waiting for his chance to strike—all of whom are transformed by the night. Speaking of galvanism, Manny Buckley is back, playing magnificent black transvestite Carson; and so, among others, are Shannon Matesky as motormouth organizer Roberta, Layne Manzer as the chilling alpha wolf known as A-Gay, and Daniel Desmarais as Newbie, the Baby John of this (lower) west-side story. One marvelous new arrival is Sara Kerastas, by turns vulnerable and immovable as a young butch dyke called Peg. The extended riot sequence, which formed an unforgettable set piece in the first version directed by Eric Hoff, is sharper and more awful-beautiful than before."
Windy City Times - Highly Recommended
"...Holter's perfunctory attempt at fairness does nothing to mitigate the undeniably propagandistic slant of his panoramic view. Histories are written by the victors, after all, and so nowadays there is little doubt as to who the good guys were. The characters may proudly declare "I was there," but no matter where you were during the era under scrutiny—with its many divisive issues shaking the very foundations of American society—you'll probably find yourself cheering on these suddenly-self-empowered dissidents as they revel in spontaneous anarchy and hitherto-unrecognized unity. Just try to resist the temptation to kick over trash cans on your way home, huh?"
Centerstage - Recommended
"...Under Eric Hoff's direction, the play is a 90 minute thrill ride. Never boring, and straightforward, it is easily accessible. Playwright Ike Holter has penned a fierce, unflinching battle cry to observe our past in order to change our future. But when things get too riled up, in true rock concert style, the story gets muddled. There are several scenes of near mosh pits onstage, and after a while this becomes tedious. These come off as accidents more than stylistic choices, and I could not tell if the fault is in the script or direction."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...he specific events of the early morning, as a homophobic cop (Walter Briggs) reminds us throughout, are not exactly clear. What is known provides the outline for ten fictionalized archetypes—naive queer newbies (Daniel Desmarais), wealthy closet cases (Layne Manzer), rhythmic, activist power dykes (Shannon Matesky)—to collide in a messy montage that, unbeknownst to them, cascades into a movement."
ShowBizChicago - Highly Recommended
"...Directed Eric Hoff and produced by the Chicago Commercial Collective, Hit The Wall is an amalgam of theatrical convention in a strikingly original format as we follow ten of New York City's fringe through the lead up and aftermath of the Stonewall raid. Over the course of 90 minutes, Hit The Wall combines dance, music, poetry, movement and Meisner as each actor lives off the other; coming together and forming an intricate puzzle of truth. As a majority of these actors created the role which they inhabit, the sureness of the emotional power they were able to project was evident."
Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...Directed by Eric Hoff with the majority of the original cast returning to The Greenhouse Theater Center, we enter the upstairs theater through a long corridor instead of the usual double doors. As we make our way down the hall, we hear the vibrant onstage band evoking the music of the time- proto- punk s what it is supposedly called featuring “Born To Be Wild” It is loud and is supposed to set the tone. As audience members took their seats, drink in hand ( oh, yes, there is a bar almost on the stage for the purchase of libations) they began to rock in their seats, causing the entire row to sway. I took refuge in another row, where I was alone and therefore had no sway to the loud rock music."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...The full visceral impact of this bloody, but momentous even in gay history is greatly enhanced by Eric Hoff's direction, Ryan Bourque's intense fight choreography and John Cicora's loud rock combo that continually plays throughout the production. The violence, which at times has almost a balletic quality, hammers home the insanity of the prejudice and bigotry. It's representative, yes; but the production somehow feels almost documentary-like in its present incarnation, bringing history up close and personal...and unforgettable."
