Take Me Back Reviews
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Director Will Crouse, who's also the company’s artistic director, demonstrates a keener sense of rhythm, pacing and structure than most of his colleagues who’ve been at it for decades. And Poor Theatre casts superbly. They’ve assembled savvy, meticulous, relative unknowns who hold their own against veteran Susan Monts-Bologna, whose portrayal of perpetually abandoned matriarch Sue is a heart-shattering tour de force. Crouse and company embody Schwend’s efficient, affecting portrayal of small-town aspiration and delusion with compassion, precision, and urgency. You'd think they were old pros."
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
"...Take Me Back is in good hands with director Will Course, whose brisk pace provides us with a sense of doom just hours away, while still allowing the characters to grow organically. President Obama’s recent visit to a federal prison in Oklahoma and advocacy of banning employers from inquiring about job candidates’ criminal background evidences general recognition that the play’s situation is one too many families are in. But Schwind doesn’t offer easy solutions, only the observation that people like Bill are often determined to destroy themselves. Whether that subject is too mundane for drama depends on tastes and the amount of theatre an audience member normally partakes in. There’s not much in Take Me Back that is likely to surprise anyone. But it is performed well, and at the Poor Theatre’s low price, a worthwhile investment."
Chicago Stage and Screen- Somewhat Recommended
"...Take Me Back works as a gentle plea for compassion for those who want little and struggle to get even that, or an elegy for a simpler time that probably never was. But it does not grab the viewer by the throat and make them pay attention, to care, to want to do something. The production features fine performances by perfectly-cast actors and drags the audience right into the lives of its characters, but it's not entirely clear why Emily Schwend or The Poor Theatre wants people to stop by her version of Muskogee, Oklahoma, for a visit."
Around The Town Chicago- Recommended
"...Ultimately, this is a chance to watch two extremely gifted performances, an interesting dynamic, and some convincing technical work (directed by Michael Rathbun) at a reasonable price. It is also utterly convincing as an all too realistic slice of Americana, but one gets the sense that a script that mirrors life’s banal realities (even its harsh ones) would have worked better as an art-house film where slow plots can be mitigated by angles and techniques not available to actors, directors, or playwrights."
Chicago Theatre Review- Recommended
"...This Midwestern premier of Emily Schwend’s is finely staged by Will Crouse and nicely brought to life by his talented, four-member cast. The communion between actors and audience in this cozy space helps strengthen the dynamics of this exciting production and drives home the play’s power. Apparently, after serving your time in prison, you CAN go home again, as long as you don’t repeat your mistakes. Hopefully this company will be presenting more from this talented young playwright in the near future."