I Wanna F#!*ing Tear You Apart at Rivendell Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...I liked all three of the actors in moments - especially LaGamba - but the show unspools too slowly and show-ily to really work. It feels like it is never going to end, which isn't a recommendation for a piece so dependent on us seeing parts of ourselves in those with whom we're keeping company."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...Their island of mutual acceptance and submerged shame is disrupted when Chloe (Jessica Ervin), a straight cis white female aspiring novelist from suburban Maine, befriends Leo and tempts him with the siren song of the norm. It's like a sitcom where all the characters are writers. Sam and Leo's relationship is the main attraction and drawn well."

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...This play challenges us to look at the world around us and hopefully will challenge the way people think about “Fat” people and “Gay” people. Sam and Leo are just “people” who have a special love that is theirs even when they are fighting. There are times they seem like a married couple as we take a trip with them into the world of friendships, bigotry toward fat people, ambition, and living in a world that does not accept you as you are, wanting you to change."

Chicago Theatre Review - Somewhat Recommended

"...This is an extremely well-produced and gorgeously-acted production of a story that, unfortunately, ultimately left me pretty cold. That said, it wasn’t really until the very end that the problems fully manifested, so the overall evening was still enjoyable. And again, the actors are an absolute delight. In the balance, they make the show worth your time."

Third Coast Review - Somewhat Recommended

"...That said, the team at Rivendell have, for the most part, developed a punchy, entertaining production. Sound design by Jeffrey Levin is lively and infuses the evening with energy, director Jessica Fisch mostly nails the staging on Regina Garcia's detailed, cozy set, and projections from Anthony Churchill add a slick charm to the quick, episodic scenes. And for a play featuring a dysfunctional set of misfits, characters that aren't often the heroes on stages big or small, I Want To Fucking Tear You Apart is a welcome, fresh take on some old themes."

The Hawk Chicago - Recommended

"...What would a play about the intimate details of you and your best friend's lives include? Choreographed dance parties? Made up words? Passive aggressive fights? Morgan Gould's I Wanna Fucking Tear You Apartticks off all these boxes in its twelve-month overview of friend soulmates Samantha and Leo. Packed with hilarious one-liners and touching moments, the script does a fantastic job of portraying the ups and downs of even the closest friendships, even if it's final act seems somewhat misplaced. "

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...The theater is starved for fat-positive representation. "Fat-fat. Not TV-fat," as playwright Morgan Gould makes a point to clarify. In Gould's "I Wanna Fucking Tear You Apart" at Rivendell, directed by Jessica Fisch, do not expect to see a story about the bravery of society's victims as they triumphantly overcome adversity. This isn't a play about fatness as shown in the media. This is a play about the deep-seated, traumatic effects of lifelong discrimination and bias. It's a play about people. It's also a play about friendship."