Botticelli in the Fire Reviews

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...So if you’re looking for an art history lesson, you’ll not find one in Bo Frazier’s high-octane staging for First Floor Theater. (As we’re told near the beginning, “This isn’t a play. It’s an extravaganza!”) What you will find is a show that, despite some longueurs here and there, is insistently flashy, ribald, passionate, and as unapologetic in its stances as its protagonist."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...Queering the basic story of the great artist while he creates his masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, Tannahill is not shy in his attempt to shock. As in Brecht's Threepenny Opera, Tannahill's political message is often interrupted by dance, music, and schtick, and the opening night audience ate it up. With that being said, the relationships felt a bit underdeveloped, and despite all the bells and whistles, the second act is woefully slow."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...There will still be plays like "The Cherry Orchard" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" in our theater repertoire, that's certain. But like it or not, this is the new direction that the theatre is traveling. For many audiences, Jordan Tannahill's play may not be considered a great script, but there's no denying that it certainly provides food for thought and motivation for spirited conversation. It dazzles the senses with its talent, spectacle and the wickedly wild unexpected."

Buzz Center Stage - Highly Recommended

"...BOTTICELLI in the FIRE is a delight! I’ve got a lot to say about this production, but if you want to cut to the chase: See BOTTICELLI in the FIRE!"

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...There’s a trend on TikTok where users chime in with a little-known historical fact, such as that President Calvin Coolidge liked to prank his bodyguards by hiding in his office after calling for them. Jordan Tannahill’s “Botticelli in the Fire” is a lot like that trend, though the line between historical and fictional is blurred. Was “The Birth of Venus” artist Sandro Botticelli queer? Let’s be honest, a lot of historical figures were and we just don’t have the documents to prove it. But regardless, this play is super-duper-ultra-queer. And I’m here for it."