Death Takes a Holiday Reviews

Chicago Reader - Not Recommended

"...Too bad there's no sign of a pulse in Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan's slow-moving book or Maury Yeston's operetta-like score. And Elizabeth Margolius's staging for Circle Theatre is about as spirited as a funeral, featuring dim lighting, pallid performances, and a cumbersome, staircase-dominated set (designed by Peter O'Neill) that leaves the cast looking isolated and far away."

Windy City Times - Highly Recommended

"...Under Elizabeth Margolius' direction, the Circle Theatre company deftly navigates the physical and acoustical realms of Stage 773's big proscenium room (the latter tending to dilute the unmiked voices and flute-fueled orchestrations in the show's first moments-a flaw quickly rectified). Nate Lewellyn and Laura McClain are an engaging pair of young lovers, but this commentary on life's twilight years is rightfully the province of its mature voices-Rus Rainear, Rosalind Hurwitz, Kevin M. Grubb and Denise Tamburrino. Music being the most emotional of all the arts, their efforts make for Dark Romance to undo the coldest-hearted playgoer. Bring your hankies. Bring two. In fact, bring a dozen!"

Splash Magazine - Somewhat Recommended

"...Despite the major problems with story and book, the talent here is really good. Denise Tamburrino's moving interpretation of "Losing Roberto" is worth the price of admission in and of itself. More than anything else I have to applaud the fact that Circle Theatre is taking risks. This is not a well-known show and therefore not a big audience-draw for Circle's premiere musical in the city. The fact that they decided on Death Takes a Holiday rather than pandering to a well-known over-produced commodity is proof of that. Any theatre company that is willing to take risks like that is worth seeing. You just may have turn off the critical part of your brain and just enjoy it for what it is."