Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...The problem is that the songs, though delivered with homespun earnestness by the 10-member cast (performers also play a variety of instruments, including banjo and ukulele), just aren't that memorable. They range from childish scatology and other naughtiness ("Kangaroo Poo," "Go Duck Yourself") to cleaner but still-groanworthy disquisitions on "The Sockless Fox" and "A Pig in a Wig.""
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...The creation of writer/composer Martin Marion (who was born in Slovenia, studied in the United States, spent 10 years performing with the Blue Man Group and currently lives in Berlin), the show is marked by TUTA’s decidedly Eastern European/Slavic sensibility mixed with a hip rock and roll-meets-ethnic beat. And as cleverly directed by Jacqueline Stone — with zesty musical direction by Wain Parham, and wildly ingenious costumes by Branimira Ivanova— it spins a cautionary tale at the very same time that it entertains. The cast of 10 appealing performers (many of whom accompany themselves or others on instruments ranging from accordion, guitar and drum to tambourine, ukelele and kazoo), move easily from creatures who are rowdy and bawdy to those who are mournful and scared."
Chicago Reader - Not Recommended
"...While Seuss filled his simple verses with wit and wisdom, Slovenia's Martin Marion, who wrote music, book and lyrics, opts for simplemindedness. Each of the 17 songs repeats one or two modest points—cows moo, kangaroos poo—which coalesce into one easy, unearned sentiment: live fully despite death's inevitability. Director Jacqueline Stone's unfortunate cast can't sell the empty songs, while a fussy, disgruntled deer all-too-accurately tells them how bad their show is."
Time Out Chicago - Not Recommended
"...But the performances that follow are straight out of Raffi—and not Raffi’s best work either. Innocent songs like “Kangaroo Poo” and “A Fish with a Wish” clash with stylistic attempts at a more adult, sinister purpose. And when every song is in rhyme, based on a pun, the lyrical range becomes limited over 17 numbers. It’s not that I didn’t laugh, because I did, and it’s not that the performances weren’t fun, because they were. It’s that if a single neuron fired in my brain, the experience was ruined. At this point you know about as much as I do as to why the animals put on a cabaret in the first place, and the puns don’t even make sense. Who cares if the fox has no socks?"
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...I’m not sure why TUTA felt the need to recommend this show for ages thirteen and up, and I think that’s a mistake. Other than the possible length issue, I see nothing really unsuitable for middle schoolers. Perhaps they thought the designation “children’s show” that typically comes from animal themes would scare away adult audiences. But I think this show will succeed with people of all ages. It’s an excellent example of Chicago-generated new work in terms of creativity and ensemble performance, and it carries a life-affirming message even in the face of grim reality."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...Amidst the outrageous and amusing musical numbers presented within The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) lies the unpleasant reminder that no one among us is eternal. Death will come upon us all in one fashion or another, and as this production reminds us, we might have no warning as to when this time will come. Jeffrey Levin’s sound design and TUTA Company Member Keith Parham’s lighting design accent these moments with an eerie, alarming beauty as they carry the troupe through their fear, panic, and mourning. These haunting, emotionally intense moments would not be as powerful without Movement Director Aileen McGroddy’s careful attention to precise and meaningful actions. True to TUTA’s mission as a theatre company, The Anyway Cabaret (an animal cabaret) explores what our world could be like if we stopped letting our fears guide us."
