Escape From Happiness
Infamous Commonwealth Theatre at Raven Theatre

Time Out Chicago- Somewhat Recommended

"... The production isn’t wholly without joy. Katherine Arfkin’s set nails the look of every suburban kitchen from which high schoolers sneak Oreos and booze. Jim Farrell turns in his usual strong work as a patriarch, apparently having a blast merging faux-senility and craftiness, while Nancy Friedrich makes middle-child Mary Ann a hilarious, lisping Gollum. Almost every cast member finds a few bits of sharp timing, but these moments come off like tiny, heartbreaking rebellions on the train ride to Walker’s quirk gulag."
Read Full Review

Caitlin Montanye Parrish

Chicago Reader- Somewhat Recommended

"...Infamous Commonwealth Theatre plays the quasi-farcical plotline for optimum zaniness, with lots of shouting and grappling and a sense of barely contained chaos--which only underscores Walker's tendency to substitute quirks for character. Nancy Friedrich manages to transcend the material with a scene-stealing, sublimely dingbatty performance as the basket-case middle sister."
Read Full Review

Zac Thompson

Windy City Times- Somewhat Recommended

"...Director Genevieve Thompson and her cast rarely get the right grip on the material, but Walker's screechy and unwieldy script is the major fault. Escape from Happiness is aptly named, but in the most ironic and unfortunate sense."
Read Full Review

Scott C. Morgan

Chicago Stage Review- Somewhat Recommended

"...Walker’s script flounders and fluctuates between absurd comedy, melodrama and childishly developed sociopolitical sermonizing. Director Genevieve Thompson extracts some surprisingly delightful humor and extraordinary performances but you can’t help but think that all of this talent would be better served by a better-constructed script. Still, the incomparable performances of Nancy Friedrich and Jennifer Matthews are well worth your time."
Read Full Review

Venus Zarris

ChicagoCritic- Not Recommended

"...The characters are over-written, over-played moving the work from an absurdist comedy to a wordy stupid, much too long, viciously eccentric failure. The cast works hard to make this impossible material stage worthy. The result is complete silliness that made me embarrassed for the talented cast.  Unfortunately, Walker’s goofy work needs serious edits and a refocus. Infamous Commonwealth Theatre will bounce back, don’t give up on them."
Read Full Review

Tom Williams