Adaptation presented by Theatre Above the Law at The Jarvis Square Theater

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Some of the topical references (SNCC, for example) feel dated. But Tony Lawry's smartly paced production in the tiny Jarvis Square Theater, where set designer Charlotte Lastra's board-game squares fill the stage floor with roadblocks such as "extramarital affair" and "social infraction," provides steady laughs over the 60-minute run time. As the Game Master, sixth-grader Delilah Lane is a deadpan delight, handing over cards of opportunity and fate to Hartley's Contestant as he half-examines his life before resorting to the gospel of "OAM": organization, administration, and management. Of course, the outcome of the game is predestined. But May's gimlet-eyed view on how we play it still carries some heft."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended

"...Adaptation is shockingly current considering it was first performed in 1969 when prosperity reigned in the US. This show is both an evening of entertainment and a satiric examination of all we hold dear-so go laugh then head across the street to the bar to discuss and reflect! Jarvis Street is one of those adorable mini neighborhoods that make Chicago such a great town."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...Coming in at a brisk 60 minutes, the show may feel a little short, but in practice, I think it helps make sure the show plates all keep spinning but never fall down. The result is an enjoyable, if brief, exploration of the game we all have to play, whether we like it or not."

Chicago On Stage - Recommended

"...Adaptation mines its comedy from sharp, witty barbs about the absurdity of life as well as extended bits about how we are shaped by those around us and the choices we make. Although it is firmly set in the late 60s, its comic insights remain entirely apropos to today's world because May chose not to be topical but instead universal in her satire. Even more than forty years later we can see ourselves in the contestant's struggles along life's highway as he learns how to "adapt" himself to the realities and limitations of his existence. And the fact that he never does find that security square that would free him from those struggles is a not too subtle commentary about how most of us live our lives. Theatre Above the Law's often-hilarious, pointed production will make you laugh. Younger viewers may find it farcical, but we oldsters can easily see the universal truths it presents in its absurd packaging."

Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended

"...Even with the production's shortcomings, this play is still recommended for those looking for a fun night of hole-in-the-wall, well-written theatre with up-and-comer Julia Rowley. At only a 60-minute run time, you may as well get your reality TV fix from a campy play by an Oscar-nominated writer."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Directed with wit and finesse by Tony Lawry, the play manages to encompass in its hour length the entirety of a life, from squalling birth to semi-welcomed death, played out along a rigorously sequential chain of board-game squares."