Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"...When you watch that intriguing opening scene of Zora Howard?s ?Bust,? an accomplished new play produced at the Goodman Theatre in concert with both the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and the commercial producer Sonia Friedman, what shoots into your head is how skillfully this gifted writer has come up with a metaphor for a solution to this most vexing and dangerous of ubiquitous American confrontations; if one of what typically are two angry parties could immediately be transported out of the situation, as if by a ?Star Trek?-like teleporter, lives would be saved."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz and running through May 18, ?Bust? punches deep into the physical and emotional devastation that invariably results when all-consuming anger has no outlet. But ?Bust? is no one-note rage-a-thon. The production also shows the alchemic power of a tight-knit community determined to protect its own, even if it means stepping into unknown realms beyond planet earth. ?Bust? (the title refers to moving from one world plane to another) is also wildly, incongruously funny and often downright farcical."
Daily Herald
- Recommended
"...In "Bust," a keenly observed new play about racism and rage, the characters want what most people want: to feel safe; to not worry about how they stand, what they wear, and whether they walk too fast or too slow; to simply be where they are without fearing someone is after them. Sadly, those are privileges Zora Howard's characters, Black Southerners suffering the burden of systemic racism, rarely enjoy."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Recommended
"...Bust is a powerful present-day and historical flashback of the rage we felt and still feel today as blacks who want to be seen through the same lens as those who make the glasses. We have desired to break into this peaceful existence since slavery. We can't find the peace this play so poignantly mentions by speaking words that will only provoke rage and cause us to negativity Bust."
Around The Town Chicago
- Recommended
"...Sharply directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz on a magnificent set designed by Matt Saunders, this play moves fluidly from scene to scene allowing us ample to time to connect with the characters in the story. The unique sets are in what appears to be boxes that slide in and out of place and with the lighting ( Yi Zhao) and sound ( Mikaal Sulaiman) along with some special effects (Jeremy Chernick), this becomes a special work of art rather than just another play."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...There's so much understandable rage in this play, but it's beautifully balanced with the humor. There's also a great deal of humanity. Zora Howard's play defies being pigeonholed, but it leaves the audience, both Black, White and every other ethnic group, with an appreciation for the anger housed inside one group of people. We can all totally empathize, care for and commiserate with Ms. Howard's African-American characters in this play as we experience their rages through the ages."
Buzz Center Stage
- Somewhat Recommended
"...In the end, "Bust" isn't a bust-it's an eruption. It's bold, funny, and full of potential. But in aiming for the transcendent, it sometimes loses sight of the real-and the real, here, is already more than enough."
The Fourth Walsh
- Highly Recommended
"...What happens when a black person is pulled over by the police? A lot of times, they are harassed, beaten or shot. Playwright Zora Howard, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, explores a provocative alternative. In her unique tale, she imagines centuries of ancestral oppression and years of racism uncorking enough pent-up rage to ?bust? into a different life. Howard conjures up a captivating story. She illustrates the hardship of facing subtle, brutal and potentially fatal prejudice. Howard utilizes ordinary characters, real life scenarios and extraordinary results. BUST showcases the possibility of the evolution of thought."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...The play is very very funny, almost frighteningly so given the underlying subject matter. It's also perfectly acted, shocking, meaningful, and thought provoking, all in the context of great stagesets and superb special effects."
BroadwayWorld
- Recommended
"...Overall, BUST gives audiences many questions to ponder: Both in terms of unveiling the play?s unique building, but also when it comes to unpacking the themes and what to take away. Ultimately, after the surreal mystery of BUST is revealed, the play really asks: Where do you go to feel safe, and what are you willing to let go of (or not) in order to reach that place?"
NewCity Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...There's nothing like a good dose of existentialism to get the mind thinking about life and the universe. "Bust," a new drama by Pulitzer Prize finalist Zora Howard running through May 18 at Goodman Theatre, is exactly that. Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, this world premiere takes the aphorism "life is what you make of it" to the extreme."
