McMeekin Finds Out presented by Route 66 Theatre Company at Victory Gardens Theater - Biograph

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"..Barsotti can write rich and funny characters and, better yet, he knows how to create and compound a manic situation — all of the authority figures, from the parents to Brothers' visiting cop — are hobbled in some way by past injuries, and Buddeke's long-suffering character spends a good portion of the night trying to scratch her leg under her cast, with delicious results. But Barsotti still needs to work on making sure everything is credible, and that the actions in his play build logically from one moment in the next, rather than spending all of their time on reactions that eventually become repetitive. You've got to be especially careful when you're writing a comedy about rape (even when the genders are reversed) — it all has to track. Barsotti gets the tone right; I don't think a reasonable person would take offense at anything here, but there needs to more things happening and we need to meet Halvorson's much-abused football player earlier in the proceedings."

Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended

"...The opening scene in Scott T. Barsotti's new play, "McMeekin Finds Out," is the one and only reason to bother catching this Route 66 Theatre Company production."

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...The intriguing questions about sexuality, power, and forgiveness that Barsotti introduces get short shrift, but he has a showman's knack for riotous one-liners, and Damon Kiely's direction for Route 66 Theatre Company keeps the ludicrous situations from becoming too over-the-top annoying. As Carla's parents--both in casts from a car accident--Kate Buddeke and Randy Steinmeyer nail the exasperation of long-marrieds."

Centerstage - Recommended

"...More than two hours long, "McMeekin" lags at times, its dialogue circling. However, the show remains engaging as Carla's story slowly comes to light. One issue: Though Robertson spends most of the play proving her chops, in her initial scene she plays drunk, a knack which evades even some of the best actors. Stilted and unbelievable, her drunk scene gets the play off to a lurching start from which it must recover. Physical and funny thereafter, Robertson might have benefited from subtler choices."

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...Barsotti has a way with the characters’ Pittsburgh argot and scores some laughs by exploiting the sexual double standard (Pam to Carla: “Was he asking for it? Was he dressed real slutty or anything?”). But he neutralizes instead of delving into the difficult subjects he raises, and consequently the piece feels shallow and artificial. Kiely’s well-oiled production gets by on some crisply executed slapstick and the likability of its cast, particularly Steinmeyer and Buddeke as Guy and Pam, who could otherwise easily come off as criminally lenient."

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...Guy and Pam with help from their son Bobby (Tyler Ross), set into motion a series of mishaps, mayhem and madness around the concept of a  petite teenager girl raping a football player. The silliness and the physical action escalates into hilarity as the preposterous action unfolds.  The audience laughed as the players raced out of control.  This is raw sitcom humor that you’ll either find funny or stupid. Randy Steinmeyer is terrific as the goofy father.  If you like outrageous comedy then McMeekin Finds Out will be a fun evening of theatre. The production values of the Route 66 production are worthy. The comedy is fast paced and wacky. Don’t let my aversion to this style of comedy deter you from having fun at this show."

Chicago Theater Beat - Not Recommended

"...McMeekin Finds Out doesn’t know what it’s trying to say. It goes nowhere while being simultaneously all over the place. Worst of all, there’s no driving force that compels the audience to keep watching. Give this play a thorough rewrite or transform it into a brief one act and you may have something. Otherwise, the only thing you’ll find out is that you just sat through a bad play."