Posh Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
"...Wade surely has her type down and both the desire and means to take it down. And with Berry, who works here with the concise, precise designers Ashley Ann Woods, Pete Dully and Stephanie Cluggish, her work has been turned into a dynamic, often shocking little storefront show guaranteed to make you fume anew at the ongoing inequality of the most mature democracies."
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
"...It is in the play’s wonderfully insidious final scene — between Jeremy and the arrogant young club member whose future hangs in the balance — that Wade really nails the nature of privilege and protection, and captures the mechanics of powerful connections. I will not explain it any further here. Suffice it to say, it is the perfect epilogue for the smashing “Posh.”"
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...But what a pleasure to watch this feat of ensemble theater as Jonathan Berry's direction reveals the fragility of the bonds between the members of an exclusive Oxbridge dining club. Steep's small space heightens the harrowing tone: we audience members at first seem to be in a room we likely wouldn't be invited into, eavesdropping; eventually, we feel captive to certain horror."
Time Out Chicago- Recommended
"...Still, this collection of cads is somehow as charming as it is repugnant. That's partly due to sharp character writing on Wade's part, and partly to the killer collection of young actors in Jonathan Berry's taut production, many of whom were new to me. They may be playing a bunch of horrid louts, but there's little doubt you'll want to see more from this cast."
Chicago On the Aisle- Recommended
"...British playwright Laura Wade’s “Posh,” now on graphic display at Steep Theatre, drives home a somber message: Great wealth is a limitless ticket. Anything is possible or tolerable if you can hand over a blank check to pay the freight or pay for the damage."
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
"...Wade’s writing in Posh is masterful. Although there’s very little plot for these two and a half hours, the characters are so fully drawn that their interactions are always fascinating. Wade’s craftiness is such that she does not provide a great deal of backstory for any of them either—one’s Greek, one’s gay, two are initiates, James is the president—but we understand precisely each of their personalities."
Chicago Stage and Screen- Recommended
"...Posh gives Chicago audiences a view into the next generation of titled British aristocracy, the leaders of tomorrow, if they have their way. Traditions are being re-established, but it may be too late, and, just perhaps, a title and a credit line will not be enough to take power. Given the current election year politics, with the talk of American political dynasties and class allegiances, audiences may find a bit more than usual to raise the blood pressure."
Chicago Theatre Review- Recommended
"...This play is a hard pill to swallow. Seated only inches from the action it's difficult to like any of these boys. But that's the very intention of Laura Wade's scathing, cautionary drama: to illustrate how those private clubs and secret societies among the affluent are more than simply a bunch of snobs. They're populated by society's most callous, self-entitled spoiled brats. These poor little rich boys believe they're above the law and the demands of society, answerable only to themselves and, perhaps, a few others of their class. We continually see examples of this everyday in the news. It's maddening, frustrating, and yet hordes of people stupidly fawn over these individuals. These are the boys who claim affluenza as their excuse for saying hurtful things and committing cruel and malicious deeds. Hopefully we won't find our next elected leader a member of the Riot Club."
The Fourth Walsh- Recommended
"...I enjoyed POSH! I found the first act riveting with the introduction of distinct characters and the merriment and havoc that ensued. The second act had a big head-scratching moment involving Borek. It seemed a weird addition to this particular party. Still, I found the ending evocative as line blurs between the Riot Club and the ‘boys club’ running the real world."
Chicago Theater Beat- Highly Recommended
"...Posh blends the excitement of live theater with the epic grit of an independent film. Both script and direction are smart from beginning to end, the cast is phenomenal and the production values above and beyond. Posh will make you angry. It will also make you laugh, wince and ask yourself whether you’ve checked your privilege today."
NewCity Chicago- Somewhat Recommended
"...All of which leaves “Posh” feeling hollow, an aesthetic triumph lacking in soul. It is storefront theater’s own “The Little Foxes.” No one involved has done anything wrong, per se. Yet it feels like the last rites of a grand and archaic religion that no one believes in anymore: impressive, even noble, nevertheless it is an echo of a thing rather than the thing itself."