Bang The Drum Slowly at Steep Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"...As sports-themed tear-jerkers go, "Bang the Drum Slowly" is no "Brian's Song." It's no 2006 Cubs season, either. No, this stage adaptation of the Mark Harris novel won't leave you choked up, but if you're looking for a quaint throwback to a time when baseball players made puny salaries, this is your play."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...The only sustained evocation of emotion is indirect, when one of the ballplayers sings "Streets of Laredo"--performed in Tony Adams's staging by someone who's not only tone-deaf but doesn't give the lyrics any feeling. That deep-sixes a production that's already somewhat stiff and flat, partly because few of the actors show the aggressive, fidgety physicality of professional athletes. The exception is Jim Poole, wonderfully pugnacious as the coach."

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...Peter Moore and Alex Gillmor, along with a sturdy ensemble (featuring a standout character turn by Jim Poole as the irate manager), forge an argument for being one’s brother’s keeper with enough stoical poignancy to elevate masculine values to the level of heroic myth. What more could Cubs fans ask, passing the playhouse as they depart from Wrigley Field for the Sheridan el station, than the opportunity for a good guy-cry?"

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...The production deftly uses the large cast (18 players) and director Tony Adams has a quick pace going that smoothly moves the story along despite the many blackouts needed due to the many scenes. This is a fine ensemble piece that allows baseball to become a vehicle for a glimpse of human truth that resonates for all of us. The play is well acted and understated emotionally that gives its story haunting power."