Chicago Tribune - Not Recommended
"...First and foremost, the play does not work unless you empathize with the characters, all struggling with their own desires and demons. Unfortunately, you really care not a hoot for Burgher's eccentric Greg, nor for Cameron-Scorsese's jittery Steph, whose pain stays too hidden behind the jumpy exterior. Bisto and Loveland work a little better, but, and I never thought I'd say this about a LaBute play at Profiles, the lack of emotional involvement, and the lack of veracity in a production with the characters doing too much shouting past each other, means that the show gets dull."
Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...Director Darrell W. Cox and his cast do everything LaBute asks, but the play's unabated bickering quickly grows nerve-wracking. Though conceived as a "follow-up" to "Reasons to Be Pretty," LaBute's earlier play about these characters, the only way to connect all the relationship dots here would be to see the two works staged back-to-back. And with the exception of Carly, none of them are interesting enough to warrant that attention."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...LaBute manages to make the now-or-never desperation in their various stabs at happiness seem both comic and poignant. But the results are much less subtle in Darrell W. Cox's keyed-up staging for Profiles Theatre. Disregarding the script's changes in tempo and tone, the cast race through the evening in a sweaty panic."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...All of this is played out in an interesting and driving fashion by Profiles' hard-sweating, intensely-focused cast, guided by director Darrell W. Cox, a veteran LaBute actor and director. There really isn't false note sounded by anyone, which doesn't necessarily make the characters likeable. Steph is a loose cannon whose angry emotions make her unattractive. Kent is a muscle head seemingly too thick to understand Greg's role in his misery. Greg's lack of honesty with himself and others quickly discredits him. Only Carly really emerges with integrity, realizing it's not enough merely to be desired by men. Each character is sad in his/her own way, but LaBute is too skillful a writer to make his play sad, leavening it with humor and punchy, rhythmic, realistic dialogue."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Reasons to Be Happy showcases LaBute's talent for limpid and colorful verbal exchanges. In terms of portraying the often fraught relationship dynamics of his characters, his dialogue succeeds brilliantly. In terms of capturing the working class sensibilities of three of the four characters, his dialogue is much less believable."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...In this 90 minute one act, Greg's changing feeling, his cowardly meeting with his two love interests and his fear of Kent plays out in several intense and often comic confrontations. Eric Burgher is terrific as the vacillating Greg while Domencia Cameron-Scorsese is effective as the ever- potentially exploding Steph. Who will Greg end up with and where will he go is neatly and emotionally played out through LaBute's stinging dislodge and his rich intense characters. Reasons To Be Happy is a fine sequel to his engaging Reasons To Be Pretty. Profiles Theatre sure knows how to makes LaBute's plays come alive on stage. The intensity, the emotional rage, and the strength of performers give a truthful honesty to LaBute's work. This play is worth a look."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...The overall production, from start to finish is sharp and clean. Shaun Renfro has divided the stage into three sections for the action, mostly the break room and restaurants, but each area of action allows us to feel what the actors are feeling at that particular moment. Profiles is always able to make a small stage feel much larger. The sound and original music by Jeffrey Levin work well with the lighting by Claire Chrzan to bring the moods to fit with the action and Raquel Adorno’s costumes are the finishing touch."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Somewhat Recommended
"...The Profiles staging runs 95 minutes without an intermission. Cox keeps the pace pumping, appropriate for a script that rarely takes its foot off the emotional pedal, but I started looking at my watching about 20 minutes into the action. The prospect of spending even 95 minutes in the company of such unlikable characters churning through such implausible confrontations was not appealing. The Profiles has had great success as the local interpreter of LaBute's plays and perhaps it's the law of averages that one of his plays will come up a bummer. But that's little solace while sitting through this farrago."
Chicago Theater Beat - Recommended
"...This isn't as meaty of a play as reasons to be pretty, but it's funny and real enough to justify a return visit to these characters. In a program note, LaBute says he's working on a follow-up to this play, to complete a "reasons" trilogy about Greg, Steph, Carly and Kent. It's not likely he'll give them all a "happily ever after," but there's more to be learned about the four as they struggle to put together their adult lives."
