Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...A significant problem with Jonathan Wilson's problematic new production for the TimeLine Theatre is that Hally is played by a young actor named Nate Burger, who reads on stage as 22 or 23 years old. That might now sound much of a difference from Hally's intended age of 17, but those are crucial years. On this wet and windy afternoon in his mother's Port Elizabeth tearoom in 1950, Hally stands on the cusp of deciding what kind of man he will be. The staffers Willie and Sam (played, respectively, by Daniel Bryant and Alfred H. Wilson) are fighting for nothing less than his soul."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The TimeLine actors (neatly adapting South-African accents) move unerringly under Jonathan Wilson’s fervent direction. Burger, a senior at Loyola University, expertly captures Hally’s half-baby, half-man volatility. And Bryant, with his brilliant smile and high energy, captures his character’s quicksilver spirit."
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...Underneath the friendly banter, though, the poisonous reality of racism and political inequality simmers, ready to explode. Director Jonathan Wilson's fine cast--Alfred H. Wilson as Sam, Daniel Bryant as Willie, and Loyola University senior Nate Burger as Harold--skillfully handle Fugard's dialogue, which seems to ramble but in fact brilliantly keeps the tension rising, ebbing, and rising again."
Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...Master director Jonathan Wilson is at the top of his game ( and will take on the role of Sam beginning March 1 ) . His three actors deliver rich, nuanced and deeply thought-out performances, and Wilson's staging exhibits a graceful economy with no wasted gestures or indecisive moves. The setting is a small tea shop owned by Hally's mother. The constant choreography is fascinating as Hally carelessly helps himself to food and drink and spreads his mess around while Sam and Willie quietly and patiently serve him and clean up after him. Ultimately, Master Harold is about Sam's efforts to clean up Hally's emotional mess, and we must believe that Hally comes to understand that or it's a very sad play indeed."
Copley News Service
- Highly Recommended
"...Director Jonathan Wilson, who takes over the role of Sam on after February 2, orchestrates the performances with a keen eye for the revealing small talk that escalates into the explosive final minutes. The pace is just right (though the script could be trimmed by 10 minutes), and the ending should leave the attentive viewer shocked and dismayed."
Time Out Chicago
- Recommended
"...Burger begins the production already racked with nervous energy; he never really establishes the rapport with Sam and Willie (Bryant) that the piece demands. Wilson and Bryant have some fine scenes alone, turning set designer Timothy Mann’s nicely drab café into a dance hall with the help of a mop, just as John and Winston make a prison their stage."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...This is a moving work that everyone should see as a reminder about injustice. The power of friendship and the destructive nature of institutional racism collide as Fugard puts a face on it in this landmark work. Master Harold and the Boys is a reminder to us that we still have work to do. Kudos to Timeline Theatre for mounting Fugard’s most autobiographical work. The performances due justice to the work’s powerful message."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Highly Recommended
"...This is a sparkling production with three strong characters and Wilson's direction is smooth and simple, yet intense. For 100 minutes (no intermission) we are in Africa, we are in a small restaurant (a very detailed set design by Timothy Mann) and these men are real. The lighting by Heather Gilbert sets the mood as does the sound by Christopher Kriz. We feel the rain that is created by sound and light as if it were truly a storm. I also loved the detail in the props by Julia Eberhardt with each piece making the total picture complete. A production made whole by the sum of its parts, is a way one could describe this production. Every piece of the puzzle fits to perfection, making the total experience one worth viewing."
Chicago Theater Beat
- Highly Recommended
"...Through director Jonathan Wilson’s meticulous guidance, ‘Mastor Harold’ and the Boys combines brutal, sincere acting with understated production elements that evoke apartheid’s early days in a way that makes them feel chilling and here to stay for a while. The costumes, lights, and the set are tremendously successful because they set the right tone for the play. Because it takes place in real time, Jonathon Wilson’s decisions stress story, sound, and script over visuals and spectacles. All of it comes together to make TimeLine Theater Company’s production a captivating, harrowing success."
