Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...This is a true ensemble effort from Strawdog: There are four writers (Aly Renee Amidei, Cara Beth Heath and John Henry Roberts) and three directors (Anderson Lawfer, Janet Howe and Eli Newell). The writing ends up playing second fiddle to the concept, and the performances are broad, neither of which is atypical of shows like this, but the show has some style and flourish. Just as well, since they’re charging 50 bucks (it’s half-price if you just show up on the night of the show)."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Strawdog Theatre's new immersive theater experience, Masque Macabre, sews together 14 different storylines from Edgar Allan Poe at a time of year when one's thirst for the macabre longs to be slaked and phantasmagoric thrills beckon the inner imagination. Directed by Anderson Lawfer, Janet Howe, and Eli Newell, if there is one thing Masque Macabre is strong on, it's spectacle and mystery."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...The production’s three directors pull off the individual plots with relish, building up to the a grand guignol finale, and instances of sloppiness are far outpaced by bracing moments of in-your-face horror. The hardest part of Masque Macabre is figuring out how best to watch it. Events takes place across six rooms of Tom Burch’s sprawling, spooktacular set—each room is done up in a different color—as well as a number of shadowy alcoves. By the time you figure out where you are, many dastardly machinations are already unfolding."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...This immersive theatrical experience, perhaps the boldest and most audacious in this company’s history, is clearly a labor of love for its extensive creative team as well as being a rollicking good time."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Audiences must be totally willing to give in to their senses and not hold back. Because there are so many plots and characters floating around it’s a bit difficult to know where to focus. The experience is filled with loud music, bright, blinding lights, violence, profanity and gore. If this isn’t your thing, it might be wise to reconsider this type of amusement. But for audiences who like their entertainment up-close-and-personal, this show is an exhilarating, eye-popping adventure that can be revisited often for a brand new experience each time."
Picture This Post - Recommended
"...The actors in this ensemble are fiercely in character, and it’s their strong, vivid performances that make this experience entertaining, in this writer's view. Deaths occur, and it’s up to the audience to piece together the story. With 14 stories running concurrently, it’s perhaps a challenge to follow the various plots and figure out why each act of revenge occurred. A great date night, or evening out with friends, Masque Macabre is an ambitious, highly creative endeavor that’s perfect for this time of year."
NewCity Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...“Masque Macabre,” the season opener at Strawdog Theatre is, if nothing else, a bold choice. It’s an immersive promenade experience somewhere between a gallery and a haunted house following the loose plot of a young rich playboy CEO who’s about to get the comeuppance he richly deserves. It’s a strange experience, not without its ethereal spookiness, but it stops just shy of success."
