Prometheus Bound at City Lit Theater

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...This could have been hilarious if it were allowed to be. In general a brutal yammerer under the ridiculous constraints of his part, Pracht is winning when he allows himself a little disrespectful jab in the ribs at Aeschylus for writing him into this mess. I mean, come on: Pracht stands before us covered in blood for practically the whole play with the head of a humongous styrofoam bolt protruding from his chest."

Chicago On the Aisle - Somewhat Recommended

"...Rudall’s new translation is fetching in its modern vernacular. The speeches resonate with scholarly depth and theatrical savvy — the very distillation of Rudall’s long career and esteemed work in both worlds.That said, Pracht’s Prometheus becomes a bit monotonous in his wry tone, his chuckling dismissal of an ostensibly perpetual imprisonment. Mere petulance must stand for this god’s immense pride, and sniggering for his supreme confidence. He conjures more of a local lout tossed into the cooler for the night than a sly hero who knows that time and circumstance will eventually come round to his favor."

Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended

"...Crucially, Terry McCabe's gorgeous staging is driven by a bold new translation by a Chicago theater legend, Nicholas Rudall, founder of Court Theatre. (The fact that Aeschylus may not have written Prometheus Bound doesn't detract in the least from the dramatic impact of this hymn to hope. It exists in its own right.)"

Third Coast Review - Recommended

"...The sheer drama of the production, the sweeping vista of a mountain, booming voices, singing, it all begs for a grand stage and City Lit's more intimate environment can make the premise feel a bit overwhelming at times. Add to that a style of puppet that is slightly dated compared to today's contemporary puppets and you get a sense that this classic play is itself out of time. Nevertheless, the puppeteers did well to convey a sense of otherness-which was a desired outcome-according to the literature provided "the play's other characters, supernatural beings without meaningful connections to the human race-will be portrayed by puppets so that their physical appearances are not limited by the human form." This nebulous quality of the gods might have been better displayed on a large stage with ample budget money invested in the design and tech needed for their transformation."

Chicago Theater and Arts - Recommended

"...Congrats to CityLit for staying true to their core mission of presenting "scripted plays by language-oriented playwrights and original material developed especially [for them]" by breathing new life into this nearly 2,500 year-old play."

Chicago On Stage - Somewhat Recommended

"...Most admirable, a splendid array of puppets- ranging in size and supported by an anticipated Greek chorus - interact with Prometheus. Created by VanOrthal Puppets, these three-dimensional portrayals of the Gods are worth the price of a ticket just to see the complex structures and the ways the skillful puppeteers manipulate them."

NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...The chorus singing original compositions by Kingsley Day is tuneful and harmonious though their songs do not do much to advance the story. Io wearing tap shoes but never dancing is inexcusable—about as good as an unshot gun."