The Last Days of Judas Iscariot presented by Eclectic Full Contact Theatre at Athenaeum Theatre

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...The clash of dialects and styles of speech is jarring, and this mishmash of comedy and drama rarely rings true. Amber Sallis (as a street Saint Monica) and Michael Woods (as a lounge-lizard Satan) have standout moments, but for the most part one is reminded that whatever the road to hell is paved with, it's still the road to hell."

Third Coast Review - Recommended

"...Belew’s direction is smart and moves the long play along as well as possible. I would personally like to see 15-20 minutes cut from the script, even though that might mean deleting some excruciatingly funny lines. Among the cast members, Partyka as Cunningham and Pond, as the judge and the rabbi, are excellent, as is Woods as Satan, as I noted before. Unfortunately, Chandna as El Fayoumy, while a charming character, cannot be heard clearly if he’s not facing the audience. And Bracy, as the bailiff and Simon, frequently drops his lines. The play has another month to run and I’m sure Belew will work with the cast to smooth out these flaws."

Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended

"...In The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Stephen Adly Guigis dares to explore some of the biggest philosophical and religious questions in the history of Western culture, and though his play doesn't provide any definitive answers it certainly isn't for lack of effort. When done well-and this Eclectic Theatre Company production is done very well-this play is designed to have audiences arguing its philosophical and spiritual ramifications all the way home."

Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended

"...To this reviewer, while the richness of the source material is certainly present, Belew could have more capably staged the play. Choices to have characters facing Judge Littlefield upstage also made it hard to hear important pieces of the play, particularly many of the lines from Milin Chandna as El Fayoumy. Blocked in a mostly realistic way, the lack of movement from many of the actors on stage began to feel stagnant from this writer’s vantage point, lowering the stakes of the play and lengthening the pace of the play to an almost three-hour performance."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Race is a nasty can of worms in this play and the trial is a feint, the kind of entertainment civilization graduated into after watching gladiators kill each other fell out of fashion. Yet there is honesty in the contemplation of infidelity that reaches past its mortal flaws."