Mercy Strain at American Theater Company

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...Milligan plays an Appalachian auto mechanic whose wife is diagnosed with breast cancer at the height of the great recession. As her condition worsens, astronomical medical bills pile up, the house goes into foreclosure, and mounting desperation finally leads to an act of violence. Though Milligan obviously intends to show us how unfair things can be for the working poor, his script is more than propaganda; the protagonist is allowed his flaws, contradictions, and idiosyncrasies. As a performer, Milligan is riveting, conveying a fascinating mix of decency, heartbreak, and impotent fury."

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...But his premise is too hackneyed, his characters too thin and stereotyped and his dialogue too tin-eared to stand as an equal with Anna Deavere Smith's Let Me Down Easy, with which ATC is presenting Milligan in a repertory it's calling "The Healthcare Plays." Mercy Strain might fit in fine at fringe festivals, but at ticket prices approaching $50 for a standalone performance that's under an hour, audiences are likely to feel as ripped off as the protagonist."

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...In this 57 minute one person drama , Mercy Strain, we meet a working class rural Ohio man, Joe, who is emotionally is telling the police about the events that brought the cops to his home. Joe is a red-neck Rush Limbaugh listener whose life falls apart when his young wife is diagnosed with breast cancer. When their insurance cannot cover his wife’s treatments, quickly bankruptcy and divorce follows so Medicaid can help save her."