Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...What you are watching is competent and, for the most part, honest. And since "Company" is a masterpiece and rarely enjoyed in such intimacy, that is enough for a worthy evening. In a perfect world, David Sajewich, who plays the lead, would have more definition, but that is the perennial risk of this role, which can easily become a cipher, although that hardly is ideal - Bobby has to take charge of being Bobby. There are also a pair of terrific performances in key roles: Allison Sill, of whom I wish we saw more in general, is a quirky but moving April, and Heather Townsend's caustic take on "The Ladies Who Lunch" would please the pickiest consumers of that particular slice of withering satire. Add some very warm performers in the smaller roles and you have a very pleasant "Company," especially if, as did I, you also bring along some of your own."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...With his broad, toothsome smile, David Sajewich is a wonderful Robert-always eager to please the people he's keeping company with, yet always feeling like an outsider trying to crack the codes they use to communicate with each other. Sondheim's intricate, pop-flavored score is well sung under the musical direction of Eugene Dizon, who also leads a piano-bass-woodwind trio; though I missed the driving energy that a drummer would have added, I greatly appreciated hearing Sondheim's brilliant songs delivered without amplification, which enhances the intimate connection between actors and audience that is this production's greatest strength."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...It appears that the stars are aligning themselves on Southport Avenue, in Wrigleyville, as Venus joins The Mercury as musical theater venues in the area. Yes, the new venue adjacent to The Mercury Theater, Venus Cabaret Theater, is open for business. Their first show is a perfect fit for the intimacy of the room ( holds somewhere around 75 people), a classic by Stephen Sondheim, “Company” ( one of my all-time favorites), telling the story of a confirmed bachelor , Bobby ( a superb job by David Sajewich) a 35 year old, on his birthday, no less, shows us the highs and lows of being single (and married)."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...Mercury's Venus Theater demonstrates in this, their premiere production, staged in their gorgeous, new cabaret space, why they're on the threshold of becoming one of Chicagoland's finest, new companies. With each new production, the venue will undoubtedly display continued excellence. Walter Stearns' production of this iconic show, musically directed by the gifted Eugene Dizon and choreographed by Aubrey Adams, smoothly brings the 70's classic into the 21st century. Sondheim's breathtaking score and biting lyrics, together with Furth's no-holds-barred book, prove to be the perfect fit for this stellar, ever-evolving "Company.""
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...“Company” is my favorite Sondheim musical so I entered the cabaret theater with anticipation mingled with some apprehension. The show is a proven hit and Stearns is a master director, but would the untried theater really work? Sure, the Theatre Ubique has done wonders presenting musicals in a tiny and outwardly inhospitable space, but can theatrical lightning strike twice on Chicago’s north side? Not to worry. “Company” is staged with as much professionalism and art as any musical in Chicagoland right now."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Recommended
"...Walter Stearns knows how to throw one hell of a party. The production is incredibly slick, polished, and if at times it feels hollow, it's by design: much like the life of Robert himself. Or perhaps the birthday cake served is a better symbol for the tale of Bobby's existence: it has no nutritional value and doesn't leave anyone feeling full, but damn if it isn't a delectable and well-crafted treat to mark the passing of time."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...Most of us either know 'Robert' or we identify with a version of the character 'Bobby' or the friends who exist at the center of the landmark Stephen Sondheim musical COMPANY, a terrific production of which is now playing at Venus Cabaret Theater, the sleek new performance space adjacent to Mercury Theater Chicago. Venus is the brainchild of producer/director L. Walter Stearns who with musical director Eugene Dizon, have an eye for this sort of thing and have baked a special cake for Sondheim fans everywhere. It is a glorious debut for this one-of-a-kind new space on Southport."
