Chicago Tribune
- Highly Recommended
"...For the company's current production of "Faith Healer," by Brian Friel, Garver has once again paired up with scenic designer Brian Sidney Bembridge, a skilled and canny artist who invariably does his best work with Uma. "Faith Healer" is no exception. It is one of the company's strongest productions to date, with a trio of performances that will stay with you long after the show is over."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...under the bold, deeply insightful direction of Mikhael Tara Garver, the three performers in UMA Productions' breathtakingly good revival of the play -- Chris Hainsworth (as Frank Hardy, who plays the title character), Danica Ivancevic (as Frank's wife, Grace), and James Joseph (as Frank's manager, Teddy) -- easily compete with that famous lineup. Obviously there could be no greater compliment."
Daily Herald
- Recommended
"...Brian Friel's engrossing, beautifully written play (comprised of four monologues) about an Irish faith healer, his wife (or perhaps his mistress) and his manager and the event that changes their lives, gets an intimate, well-directed revival courtesy of Uma Productions."
Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...Mikhael Tara Garvey skillfully directs an intimate, entertaining evening for Uma Productions, made all the more intense by Brian Sidney Bembridge's claustrophobia-inducing set. Chris Hainsworth as the con man is best at bluster, Danica Ivancevic is openly emotional as his mistress, and James William Joseph is hilarious and heartfelt as the manager."
Windy City Times
- Recommended
"...As Frank’s conflicted yet devoted spouse Grace, Danica Ivancevic certainly wins your hearts. As directed by Garver, she may burst about the meeting hall space a bit too much animatedly for an at-edge woman described for her calm demureness by the other characters. But Ivancevic’s resentful emotional longing and tragic sense of loss as Grace (particularly as she describes the death of her child) certainly rings very true."
EpochTimes
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Faith Healer is directed by Mikhael Tara Garver who evidently understands the script and has taught her actors well- they get it! While I can say that the story is wonderful, I can only suggest that it needs some trimming so that the audience does not lose the storyline- Mr. Friel is indeed a wordsmith, but often almost two hours of brogue on uncomfortable seats can work against a well acted, well directed piece."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...This is a gem of a play. It is flawless—perfect accents, excellent storytelling through vividly stirring solo work that lands Friel’s marvelous language deftly. This is powerful theatre that will quickly engage us."
