Mary Jane Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...Amy Herzog's "Mary Jane," an excellent play now at Northlight Theatre about a single mother coping with a seriously ill child with cerebral palsy, is at its core a tribute to human resilience. Its titular character, a New Yorker, fights for her child with every fiber of her being, batting away her own needs to ensure that her very young child remains front and center as she navigates a sometimes cruel, but also often kind, maze of medical professionals."

Chicago Sun Times - Recommended

"...Running through Feb. 22 at Skokie’s Northlight Theatre, Herzog’s 95-minute drama is simultaneously bleak and uplifting. The former is embedded in the devastating financial, emotional and physical toll the titular mother pays in order to keep her profoundly disabled son alive. The latter blooms from her abject refusal to succumb to despair and the small community that she leans on to survive."

Daily Herald - Recommended

"...Deeply empathetic, “Mary Jane” is a quiet play about quiet strength, the kind of strength a devoted mother must possess to effectively advocate for her child. Some might call that heroism. Mary Jane would call it love."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...There have been plays about parents and disabled children in the past, including Peter Nichols’s 1967 black comedy A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and Kristine Thatcher’s more realist Emma’s Child, written 30 years later. But Mary Jane hits differently than either of those. Perhaps part of that is knowing families around us right now are losing health-care subsidies, and children are being torn away from their parents and taken to detention centers."

Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Recommended

"...As Northlight Theatre continues its 50th Anniversary Season, it presents one of the final productions in its current venue: Amy Herzog's poignant play, Mary Jane. This deeply moving work beautifully captures the unwavering strength and profound emotional depth of a mother as she navigates through her ever-changing realities of caring for her chronically ill child. Focusing on the endurance of Mary Jane and her relationship with other women within her life, which helps her cope with her daily drama of trying to hold down a job, to maintain insurance coverage for her child, and the emotional strain of knowing that her two-year-old son, Alex (who is never seen on stage), has cerebral palsy, and other related medical issues, condition can change at any moment."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...Mary Jane ( an incredible portrayal by Lucy Carapetyan) who is onstage the entire 105 minutes ( no intermission), going from scene to scene as we watch this single mother of a little boy ( Alex) who is chronically ill, with little hope for a cure. In this powerhouse of a play, directed to perfection by Georgette Verdin, we get to meet the circle of other women that are as important to her as anyone could ask for. Each of these women shows us the strength of who they are and why Mary Jane connects with them."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...In Georgette Verdin’s capable hands, this exceptional production of Amy Herzog’s autobiographical drama, MARY JANE makes for a very compelling story. The story is heartbreaking while still being hopeful. Theatergoers should be warned, however, that the ending of the play is vague and open to interpretation. But this is a powerful and realistic work of art that examines a parent’s devotion and helplessness, especially as aided by a devoted community of other caregivers. The play illustrates the stress and strain of coping with a terminally ill child. And although there’s no easy solution, in the end, with the catharsis this play offers, the difficult journey is well worth the ride."

Evanston Roundtable - Highly Recommended

"...Northlight Theatre’s production Mary Jane follows the life of the play’s namesake. In keeping with her down-to-earth name, Mary Jane demonstrates a competent, no-nonsense and, at times, humor-filled approach to her life, which is in stark contrast to the difficulties it presents."