The Gilded Age: A Story of Today Reviews
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Mike Speller and Philena Gilmer delight in various ensemble roles, and Jacquelyne Jones alternates quite well between toughness and sweetness in the role of adopted daughter Laura. The play tries to honor Twain's original subtitle; its scenes set in Washington-full of political blowhards, backroom deals, and desperate journalists-succeed wonderfully in doing so."
Theatre By Numbers- Recommended
"...‘The Gilded Age’ is what it claims to be, a tale of today; A disproportionately white male story, punishing to outspoken women and painfully absent of any diversity on stage. You could argue that Twain’s source material is unfortunately homogeneous, but I will argue right back that entrusting more roles to actors of color would serve to highlight the insidiousness in our own history that Twain wanted us to see. This particular brand of insidiousness is still very much alive, and one of the great ways we can fight it is to turn more stories over to the people who have been unfairly placed in the footnotes."
Stage and Cinema- Recommended
"...The Gilded Age, in short, is a period-perfect expedition back to the future. City Lit’s sprightly staging, an election-year special, regales us with Sarah Watkins’ Victorian properties and a wonderfully false parquet floor, Caitlin McLeod’s class-conscious costumes, Paul Edwards’ evocative musical backdrop, and Becca Jefford’s unsparing lighting. This may not be Twain’s finest 12 chapters, but the all-American mocker exposes his twisted targets as he knew every bend of the Mississippi. Mark twain—and more!"
ChicagoCritic- Somewhat Recommended
"...That is to say, City Lit’s production of The Gilded Age bares only the solitary tooth of ridicule from the biting mouth of satire, the rest – humor, irony, and exaggeration – having been plucked by the last 143 years of political and social (d)evolution; and with only this lone tooth gnawing away at us for two hours, by the end, even ridicule loses its edge to the blunting truth of our “today.”"
Chicago Stage and Screen- Highly Recommended
"...The intimate theatre on gritty Bryn Mawr Street with its modern day Nelson Algren like feel is the perfect frame for an evening of literate entertainments, at once historical and ever so current events. We need more Mark Twain as we head into the circus of American election season in our own age of populist fervor. See this show!"
Around The Town Chicago- Recommended
"... It has been awhile since I have read or watched anything written by Mark Twain. In my college days, in particular in Literature class, much time was spent on one of our great American treasures. City Lit Theater, which is known for its “literate Theater” is now presenting a charming satirical look at American Politics as seen through the eyes of Mark Twain. This charming two hours of theater (with a ten minute intermission) is called “The Gilded Age: A Tale Of Today”."