The Terrible presented by The New Coordinates at The Den Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Not Recommended

"...Perhaps The New Colony sees this as a tongue-in-cheek Halloween attraction. But such attractions generally are better off with at least a modicum of wit, none of which is in evidence here, and at least one foot in that great haunted house of believability. There's no discernible sociopolitical motivation and certainly no credibility. The production is overplayed. Emotional resonance is minimal. And I just can't conceive of another reason to ask an audience to show up, pay money and watch characters being tortured."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...It’s a labored, murky stage work of unclear motivations, tenuous logic—how did the performance artist kill herself just by swinging from rubber straps?—and ever-shifting rules of engagement, all to drive home the rather obvious point that traumas must be faced before they can be overcome. Director Jesse Roth’s gung-ho cast give it their all, but sometimes their vocal hysterics render key passages indecipherable."

ChicagoCritic - Somewhat Recommended

"...The Terrible seems to be decrying the ineffectiveness of mental health treatments, which is a fair point, but not always obviously connected to its story. New Colony's production has an interesting design, accomplished acting, and voices some legitimate complaints about the mental healthcare system that apparently aren't being heard in wider society. But it also gets distracted by halfway sketching a world around its characters."

The Fourth Walsh - Recommended

"...THE TERRIBLE isn’t terrible. It’s an interesting concept that feels unfinished. More backstory would give it more depth. Still, in its current form, it has that Halloween scary dark vibe. And ‘tis the season to be frightened by ghostly visits from beyond the grave."