Silent Night of the Lambs presented by Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary's Attic

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...Things are fine as long as Landry follows the movie's trajectory, capitalizing on the latent creepiness of Kris Kringle's fascination with children and penchant for breaking into their homes. But detours into fatuous political humor and gratuitous celebrity impersonation feel like padding. Will Rogers's staging for Hell in a Handbag Productions maintains a brisk pace, though, and Derek Czaplewski's chilling Saint Nick and Samantha McDonald's pluckily butch Clarice are excellent."

Chicago Free Press - Somewhat Recommended

"...This sort of material is definitely in Handbag’s pop-culture-savvy wheelhouse (though it’s missing the musical element). But even as deliberate camp, it’s not up to the company’s standards. None of Handbag’s top-notch shows—and they’ve got a lot of them: “The Birds,” and “Poseidon: An Upside-Down Musical,” closely followed by “Caged Dames” and “Scarrie,” all of which are written in-house—ever outstayed their welcome. But “Lambs” isn’t silent; it’s way too talky. This one makes you hate the intermission because it means there’s another full act of padded material on its way."

Centerstage - Highly Recommended

"...Director Will Rogers' attention to detail and frequent nods to camp genre mainstays (dramatic double takes, mimed sex acts and the like) give "Silent" a fresh but familiar feel, and his apt use of TV screens lent an appropriately cinematic tone. Mary’s Attic, the tiny bar above Hamburger Mary's, provides the perfect eclectic party atmosphere; had the play bombed, the setting would still have made the experience worthwhile."

Edge - Highly Recommended

"...The resulting theatrical baby, which not only gender bends but species bends as well, is played broadly for laughs, and to be sure, there are laughs a plenty in this scaled-for-the-space Midwest premier production in a limited run in Mary’s Attic in Andersonville."