Bowie in Warsaw at Trap Door Theatre

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...As with many Trap Door productions, narrative structure is obscured—sometimes vigorously stomped into incoherence—in favor of a kind of overlapping polyphony. The effect is a kind of enveloping full-body testimony of emotional truths over mere plot points. The talented ensemble seamlessly shifts roles and scenes to build a portrait of a crumbling community. Is it really David Bowie or just another unwanted suitor attacking Warsaw’s populace? I couldn’t tell you. But as young and old shout over one another to share this or that outrage, it’s clear this is not the same old moonage daydream."

Around The Town Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Can you imagine a world where people rarely smile or laugh? Or where they are weighed down by society’s burdens that they have no control over? In 1977, David Bowie recorded a song called “Warszawa”, based on his travels to Warsaw, Poland, the previous year. According to Wikipedia, “The piece is intended to evoke the ‘very bleak atmosphere’ Bowie said he experienced from his visit….” Bowie’s mostly instrumental song thus became the inspiration for the play “Bowie in Warsaw” by Dorota Masłowska."

Third Coast Review - Recommended

"...Bowie in Warsaw isn’t really a play for David Bowie fans but it is an example of Trap Door Theatre’s ability to stage the work of Eastern European playwrights with Chicago style and its own peculiar brand of eccentricity. The play by Polish playwright Dorota Maslowska is set in 1970 Warsaw, where fear has set in among the female population because of a “lady strangler” who prowls the city seeking victims. Visiting director Pawel Świątek creates a setting that’s far different than described in Maslowska’s script, but captures the mood of anxiety in Soviet-era Poland. Despite the horrors of the era and the continuing fear about the “lady strangler,” Bowie in Warsaw is a dark comedy that will puzzle and delight you."

NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"...The show is what you choose to make of it. If you are down to play along, there are a wealth of wonders for the mind’s eye to explore. If you don’t get much out of the production, it is not the fault of the actors, who deliver sharp performances without missing a beat. “Bowie in Warsaw” asks as much from the audience as it does from the performers, and don’t be surprised if you spot yourself amongst the kooky residents of this surreal town."