Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Instead of action, Neveu has packed this thing with looping, melancholic, philosophical ruminations on the meaning of life. "Do you ever look up into the night sky and see only a churning ceiling of blackness?" the Fantastic Phenomenon asks his police detective pal. "Tell me everything is going to be OK, and life is only a little confusing sometimes.""
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...After a six-year stint in Los Angeles, playwright Brett Neveu returns in top form. This new hour-long enigma, offered in a compelling Strawdog Theatre debut under Gus Menary's direction, is the sort of potboiler Kierkegaard might have penned if he were really into comic books. Uninspired detective Bradley Manners, handpicked liaison to taciturn superhero the Fantastic Phenomenon, tries to track a serial killer, guided only by the Phenomenon's cryptic pronouncements ("I fill the gap between truth and lies")."
Windy City Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...A work in progress, however, is as good as anything—a cabaret revue, say, or a comedy troupe—to comfort Strawdog patrons unable to secure tickets for its sold-out mainstage production. Gus Menary directs a four-person ensemble whose U.S. archetypes display the appropriately frozen-lipped solemnity, while designers Stephen Ptacek, Kyle Land, Ryan Bourque and Aly Renee Amidei immerse us in the minimalist environment created by ( uncredited ) scenic decor incorporating Hugan Hall's fully operational bar into the mean streets where even the hardest-boiled urban warriors can lose their morale. The soothing tones and therapyspeak slogans invoked by our shamus' commanding officer are probably not a coincidence."
Time Out Chicago
- Not Recommended
"...Detective Partner Hero Villain doesn't feel like a a project that falls short of a goal, but a compilation of theatrical elements that didn't have a goal to begin with. It's a pity, too, because broken down, the artistic team sounds like a model crew to originate a staged comic adaptation. Baritone voiced Guinan-Nyhart carries himself with convincing authority and looks molded to play a superhero. Neveu's character-driven body of work thrives on suspense. Fight choreographer Ryan Bourque, apparently commissioned for a small tussle at a desk, is one of the best in the city. I'm not sure how such strong artists came up with a show about salvation that's this insipid, but I'm pretty confident that for this go at it, at least, there's none to be found."
ChicagoCritic
- Recommended
"...I'll not reveal more so not to spoil this surprisingly satisfying show. It is a fast paced 70 minute show that contains a terrific performance by John Wilson as the tormented detective with a fun turn by Sam Guinan-Nyhart as the Hero. Once all the players have their lines and timing down, Detective Partner Hero Villain will emerge as a worthy off night show. Brett Nevue is a creative playwright whose work is quite varied and intriguing. This one is sneaks up on us and it deliverers in surprising ways. It is worth a look."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow
- Highly Recommended
"...Playwright Brett Neveu showcases an existentialist crisis superhero-sized. Neveu’s story intrigues for its quirky entanglements. His dialogue is smart. Imagine if Woody Allen had written “The Incredibles,” that’s the DPHV banter. The conversations are soul-searching quirky but witty, comic book based. Under the noir direction of Gus Menary, the identity crisis rolls out with authenticity, vulnerability and intrigue."
