Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...It's an interesting piece, for sure. But at least in Northlight's production, it falls somewhere between historical realism, melodrama and a work occupying a more expressionistic or symbolic realm. And that, I think, makes it hard on the two talented actors playing these roles, Chanell Bell and Al'Jaleel McGhee."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...If it sounds fraught with a bit too much going on for two characters, it is, but using an artful mix of naturalism and expressionism, playwright Donja R. Love weaves these themes into a compelling 95 minutes that at moments beautifully expresses the psychological weight on those who seek to sustain people’s optimism and hope amid relentless violence and grief."
Daily Herald - Recommended
"...Donja R. Love's two-hander has potential. His language is bracing and his emphasis on the female member of the power couple around which the play revolves is refreshing. Director Mikael Burke has a commanding pair of actors in Chanell Bell and Al'Jaleel McGhee, who deliver beautifully textured performances as flawed people of faith."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...On an interpersonal level, the couple has challenges that many long-term couples face sooner or later. But as director Mikael Burke's staging for Northlight shows so clearly, Charles and Olivia are also bearing the weight of systemic racism buffeting them from the outside. Fireflies unfolds in the days after the Klan bombed Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church, murdering Denise McNair, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins. Charles has been asked to deliver a eulogy; the toll of the task shows in Bell and McGhee's intensely rendered performances. McGhee gives Charles the ferocity of a warrior. And when Bell's Olivia finally gives voice to her own words, her power shines with a light that not even bombs can break."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...Fireflies premiered in 2018, as the second part of Love’s trilogy that explores Blackness and Queerness during key moments in Black American history. The play at the Northlight certainly whets our interest in what the remainder of the trilogy. Whatever its narrative hiccups, Fireflies shows the hand of a writer who knows how to command the stage with his language, vivid characters, and commitment to vital issues. We can await the remainder of Love’s trilogy with much anticipation."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Somewhat Recommended
"...So many stories sought to tarnish the legacy of King, which ultimately filtered into killing any honorable history of black Americans. Hypothetically, suppose the playwright compared the actors on stage to the King and his graceful wife, Coretta Scott? I say the storyline of Fireflies has enough problems without dishonoring the legacy of King."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Directed to perfection by Michael Burke, Northlight has reconfigured its venue to make this production easy to see from every seat in the house. The set ( Scott Penner) is a typical kitchen in the period on a stage that is suspended and just out from the back wall. Gregory Graham’s costumes are quite fitting for the 1960’s and Erik Watkins has done a great job with the lighting. His “Fireflies” are chilling along with the music and sound by Christie Chiles Twillie. The props are sheer perfection and I must repeat myself here by saying that while in many productions the prop- master goes unnoticed, in most plays, the props are the finishing touch on making the production whole. Bren Coombs, you got it!"
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Northlight Theatre’s latest production is thoroughly engaging and grips the audience’s attention until the very last moment. There are definite parallels, however, between Donja R. Love’s story of Charles and Olivia and the lives of much-revered minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his author wife Coretta. It makes one wonder why the playwright didn’t just write a biographical drama, instead. But I imagine that a script that painted one of history’s greatest Civil Rights activists in this questionable vein would be frowned upon. Kudos, however, to the talented cast, director and production team for bringing this thought-provoking play to life. It’s just that this short play simply tries to stuff too many issues into one, 90-minute drama."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...“Fireflies” genuinely presents the domestic power stereotypes that continue to plague us throughout our society and relationships today. We strive to be true to ourselves, while attempting to give fully to the ideals that we love and the roles to which we are committed. Coupled with the very real civil unrest currently blazing across our country, “Fireflies” forces us to face those struggles in the shocking reflection of Olivia and Charles. In a way, we are all living in a powder keg."
Picture This Post - Somewhat Recommended
"...Such a revelation should, in this viewer’s opinion, upend everything for the couple. Instead, they process it quickly and move on to other issues such as alcoholism, feminism, queer love, mental illness and exploitive abortion doctors. It’s a lot for one story. Had it taken a deeper dive into that shattering tape recording, the play’s journey might be more effective. But even with a multitude of topics, many will find Fireflies captivating in its kitchen sink perspective on the Civil Rights movement."
NewCity Chicago - Recommended
"...This is an intense two-hander with Scott Penner's crisp and efficient set design leaving the performers nowhere to hide. That they are able to rise to the occasion is a relief. That they in fact exceed every expectation is a gift. Al'Jaleel McGhee as Charles is simply mesmerizing. A powerful presence, he perfectly expresses his character's every triumph and shortcoming. Chanell Bell (Olivia) is also impressive in her ability to expand her character on stage. Together they create a perfectly believable but ultimately cruel world that allows for the only briefest flicker of self-expression. This production in fact is itself a brief, flickering moment in need of immediate celebration."