The Book Of Joseph Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
"...At the start of the piece, Hartman has Richard say that he is surprised anyone has come out at all, being as Holocaust stories rarely have legs. I resisted that meta moment at first — self-awareness can be an insecurity and this book of letters needs no apology. But this is, it turns out, unlike any Holocaust play you will have been seen, mostly because it is so clearly concerned with what we do about all of this now. Good question, no?"
Chicago Sun Times- Recommended
"...Developed by Rick Boynton and directed by Barbara Gaines, “The Book of Joseph” is, among many things, about the very different ways in which people deal with trauma and loss. Some survivors of the Holocaust (and they are now a fast-disappearing generation) refused to talk about their experiences at all, much like many war veterans. Others, obsessed by their horrific memories, needed to be on the record, with their children and grandchildren, shaped by other social and cultural forces, responding in their own ways."
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Seasoned by years of directing Shakespeare, Barbara Gaines has crafted a simple, powerful production for this world premiere, uncluttered by unnecessary sets or props. Instead the story is carried by Hartman's words and an A-list cast-Francis Guinan and Sean Fortunato are riveting as the shy, self-effacing son (and storyteller) and his fierce, focused, and idealized survivor father."
Windy City Times- Recommended
"...The cast assembled under the direction of Barbara Gaines commit wholly to their characters' agony, making for emotionally satisfying performances, while also providing us ample fodder for contemplation of the many descendants of foreign-born citizens among us whose lineage continues to be shrouded, even today, in the shadows of hostile governments."
Time Out Chicago- Highly Recommended
"...It's not there's anything wrong with these themes. It's that, after the sweeping, tragic scope of the play's first act, the relative smallness of the second act simply can't compare. If the two stories, the one set in 1939 (or thereabouts) and the one set in 2017, had been more interwoven, then perhaps the two could better coexist. Instead, the bifurcated nature of the play's story does few favors for Richard's half of the tale. The revelation that parts of Joseph's story are not entirely truthful-that Richard basically hypothesized them-falls flat when it's presented as a sort of twist. (The very idea of a "twist" does not sit well with the gravity of the play's subject matter.) Richard's story is an interesting one, but it cannot stand on its own like this next to Joseph's. After all, the play is called The Book of Joseph for a reason. It's Joseph's tale, and his family's, that so desperately needs to be heard, not the ethical quandaries of having turned their story into a book. Richard's story, while touching, only ever feels like an addendum."
Stage and Cinema- Recommended
"...The play was adapted from a book which chronicled a real-life trove of numbered letters that Richard Hollander (Francis Guinan, combining disconcerting affability with telling remorse) found in a suitcase after his parents’ death in a car crash in 1986. Only after a delay of 18 years—dismaying his son Craig (Adam Wesley Brown), a researcher of the slave trade who wanted the truth told sooner and clearer—did Richard have the correspondence translated from Polish and German."
ChicagoCritic- Highly Recommended
"...With smartly effective staging and vital videos (by Mike Tutaj) and with winning performances by the ensemble, especially by Sean Fortunato and Francis Guinan, The Book of Joseph is more than simply another true Holocaust play - if becomes a cautionary tale about our present policy about discrimination staging Islam can lead to disaster. The Book of Joseph is a 'must see' work that is wonderfully presented."
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
"...Never forget"! This is the phrase that the Jewish population has been taught to keep saying. World War II did happen and what Hitler did, was real (despite what many non-believers say). While we have had countless tales and stories to keep reminding us of the horrible atrocities, it seems there are more to explore and be shared. Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has commissioned a play, "The Book of Joseph" that is based on the writings and life of Joseph A. Hollander and his family. Written by Karen Hartman, this play chronicles three generations of the Hollander family taking us back in time to occupied Poland until today. The book that Richard wrote is entitled "Every Day Lasts a Year", and once you see this tale unfold, this title will make complete sense to you."
Chicago Theatre Review- Highly Recommended
"...This radiant, very moving piece of theatre breathes passionate life into another true, but untold episode of the Holocaust. Much like the story of Anne Frank, this play has its genesis in the real letters and journals collected and saved by Joseph Hollander, an unsung hero of this dark period in history. Based upon the book his son Richard assembled (and is for sale in the lobby) from these found letters, audiences will relive the horror, the determination and the love that this family held for each other. And, as audiences listen to the words and deeds of this story, they may find themselves shuddering at how the observations and threats from this dark period in history resonate today."
NewCity Chicago- Somewhat Recommended
"...What is perhaps most disappointing about Hartman's play is that, after decades of widely disseminated pop-culture representations of the Holocaust (from "Schindler's List" to "Inglourious Basterds") "Joseph" seems uninterested in telling a specific story, defaulting to archetypes and melodrama. And while Hollywood has always had a vested interest in the business of moving audiences (literally and figuratively), one hopes for more from the theater. Taken in contrast to "The Diary of Anne Frank" at Writers Theatre, "Joseph" is thin and wanting."