Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...Especially in a black box theater that is stretched to the gills here, Contey does very decent work, finding 15 actors who can credibly represent the men aboard the Essex on that fateful voyage and packing the show with plenty of tension and excitement."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...In "The Whaleship Essex," now in a thrilling, vividly physical Midwest premiere by Shattered Globe Theatre, playwright Joe Forbrich (who also is an actor, director, designer, sailor and boat builder), hurls us into the story of the voyage by the ill-fated ship that inspired "Moby Dick." And for two riveting hours, in collaboration with ingenious director Lou Contey and his ship-shape cast of 15, he has us riding the waves along with the ship's captain and crew - men who, on Aug. 11, 1819, left Nantucket island for a three-year-expedition, and part way through the voyage met with disaster and tragedy as the Essex was attacked and destroyed by an enraged sperm whale."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Things only pick up when Contey deploys the cast in pursuit of whales, using elements of Ann Davis's set that amount to little more than benches, yet, under Shelley Strasser Holland's lights, become cramped vessels tossed on the waves. It's then that the absurd courage of 19th-century whalers—the cruel, brilliant foolhardiness of the entire enterprise—comes clear."
Gapers Block - Recommended
"...There is some strong acting among the large cast. Wiens is excellent as the sadistic first mate Chase (one of the survivors who later writes an account of the voyage). Brad Woodard is believable as Captain Pollard, a decent man in command for the first time, and so is Darren Jones as the bible-reading seaman Peterson. Two young seamen played by Drew Schadt and Antonio Zhiurinskas do particularly strong jobs."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...Forbrich makes sure to smoothly slip in contextual details to help inform and color the action, and it helps. By the time naive and respect-lacking Captain George Pollard (Brad Woodard) takes his post, we learn that the Atlantic Ocean has=s already been over-sourced, driving the crew out further and further to the Pacific. Later, when we see the desperate and scared faces contemplating their fate in either direction, the sense of isolation has already set in. In the press release, it's noted that Forbrich is himself a sailor who spent time in Martha's Vineyard as a boat builder, and some of the richest language happens to be the most technical—cooking blubber, nautical navigation and harpoon throwing all get borderline scientific, even romantic descriptions. Under Contey's direction, none of it overshadows the human drama at the center of it all, even in such a large cast."
Chicago On the Aisle - Recommended
"...Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Shattered Globe Theatre's ambitious staging of "The Whaleship Essex," ensemble member Joe Forbrich's retelling of an early 19th-century whaling catastrophe, is the sheer scope and rigor of the enterprise. It is a tale of man's hubris meets nature's fury on the high seas. And to put it mildly, the greedy, ravaging interlopers get sprayed."
Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended
"...A thrilling feat that reclaims the past, The Whaleship Essex is sailor-playwright Joe Forbrich’s detailed and driving reimagining of an 1820 tragedy that, 30 years later, inspired Herman Meville to write Moby Dick. A superb achievement by the 15-member ensemble, Shattered Globe Theatre’s Midwest premiere is a richly textured depiction of a doomed whaleship’s final journey (the portentous omen of a comet was ignored). Well researched–there’s a glossary for the sailing jargon–and impeccably accurate (no zippers, just buttons, on these pants created by Sara Jo White), it works both as a rampaging staging that puts us there and makes us see, hear, smell and feel it all. It’s also a warning against the danger of dependence on oil, whatever the source."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The Whaleship Essex is a fine adventure saga that feeds out never-ending love of sea stories. I see now how Melville was inspired to create Moby-Dick from tales like the Essex's story. This show is worth seeing."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...This harrowing, epic story, made all the more immediate for being factual, is presented by a theatre company who’s constantly upping its game. Shattered Globe once again fulfills its mission to create visceral theatrical experiences for its audience with this masterful work of storytelling and artistry. Added to the excitement generated by this being the play’s Midwest premier, it’s all true, part of our country’s own story, as well as the inspiration for Herman Melville’s great American classic. For students, history buffs and audiences seeking a thrilling evening of theatre, Shattered Globe’s fall production is a definite must-see."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...Forbrich couches the Essex voyage as a recollection. The narrator (played by the stately Ben Werling) connects the thirty year old story to the 1850s present. The ending satisfies as a tribute to whale attack survival. Forbrich’s story is not a heroic folktale, it’s the tarnished reality. The veracity was a disturbing look at humanity. THE WHALESHIP ESSEX tarpooned me in the side and dragged me gulping through the tumultuous waters. Although I was glad to set foot on land after such a long journey, I definitely believe THE WHALESHIP ESSEX is see-worthy!"
