Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...You certainly can’t accuse director David Heimann and his cast of lacking creativity, imagination or a commitment to high stakes. However many times you may have this title, you will never have seen it done quite like this, all within arm’s length to boot. And as far as I could tell, the three-piece orchestra plays every last note of Mitch Leigh’s score."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...This 1965 musical, with its glorious score by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion, and a book inspired by Cervantes' classic novel Don Quixote, is one of those stories-inside-of-stories pieces that can be confusing on first acquaintance. Yet director David Heimann has added a new layer to the tale and made the whole thing clearer and more meaningful than ever."
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...Director David Heimann has made a number of daring choices in staging Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh, and Joe Darion's 1965 Tony Award-winning musical based on Don Quixote--not the least of which is his seemingly quixotic decision to cram it into Theo Ubique's cabaret-style theater. But the result is a show at once more powerful and intimate than any Broadway-style production could be."
Windy City Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...If the ensemble's collective performances were rooted in truth rather than mugging, the concept could work. When Miguel Cervantes is committed to the asylum, it makes sense. He believes himself to be someone he is not. He thinks windmills are dragons. Clearly, he's delusional. Heimann deserves credit for imagination and verve. If only he'd reigned in the Looney Tunes schtick and cast a Don Quixote with the requisite vocal prowess."
Chicago Free Press
- Recommended
"...In a bold stroke of cross-gender casting that never calls attention to itself, the phenomenal Danielle Brothers disappears into the twin role of Cervantes/Quixote, delivering a subtle performance that earns every ounce of the audience’s unanimous empathy. While the entire ensemble sounds marvelous—from the stirring opening duet, “Man of La Mancha,” through the humorous “I’m Only Thinking of Him” to the full-throated finale—Brothers must anchor the show, which she does without any flash. Her luscious take on “The Impossible Dream” forgoes any bombastic vocals; she sings to our souls, not our ears, finessing its inherent grace—one that sweetly infuses this entire production."
Talkin Broadway
- Somewhat Recommended
"...This is a solid, mostly well-sung production that provides a fresh take on the classic, even if that take would be unnecessary other than to support the casting of a woman in the lead male role. Musically, that casting choice plus the sometimes thin accompaniment from the four-piece orchestra, make for a not entirely satisfying performance of Mitch Leigh's music, one of the best Broadway scores of the '60s."
Centerstage
- Somewhat Recommended
"... Mr. Heimann's changes are not all satisfactory. The blocking, although difficult in this tiny space, is sometimes confusing or unfocused. Many of the actors lack involvement with Cervantes's characters while trying too hard to portray the crazy inmates. Sometimes the lovely musical accompaniment simply overwhelms the actors and, particularly with Aldonza and Quixote, the actors are either singing far above or below their range. The always excellent Danielle Brothers is dramatically flawless in the leading role, although the absence of Quixote's rich bari-tenor was jarring. While the supporting ensemble all have moments of brilliance, only Maggie Portman as Antonia and Michael Herschberg as the Innkeeper (sporting a hand puppet as his wife) consistently shine."
Chicagoist
- Somewhat Recommended
"...We love storefront theater. There are no daunting crowds; the actors are right there; and you can usually enjoy a beer during the show. Chicago thrives on these theaters, and Rogers Park’s No Exit Café numbers among the best of ‘em. And while we also love Theo Ubique and applaud their gutsiness in Man of La Mancha, we felt a little too close to this production."
Edge
- Recommended
"...Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre has staged a daring new production of this classic musical doing what they do best: rebuilding it from the ground up, with intimacy and immediacy front-and-center. The result? A conceptually heavy reimagining of this beloved show that is sometimes brilliant and sometimes overdone - but always entertaining."
Time Out Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Ubique’s ensemble of misfits and lunatics plows through the 1965 musical with irrepressible, sometimes creepy glee, capitalizing on a score generous enough to give even the smallest player a showcase moment. Standouts include Kyle Greer as the chorus’s finest chameleon and Sarah Hayes, who plays distrustful wench Aldonza with white-hot rage. But the show belongs to Danielle Brothers. Her take on the titular hero, which could have been stunt casting, is inspired. By the time she reaches “Dulcinea,” she is completely Quixote and totally heartbreaking. Someone please cast her as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...surly Man of La Mancha resets on the power of Quixote to win our hearts. Danielle Brothers so truthfully lands the “Man of La Mancha”and the wonderful “Dulcinea” before her anthem to all quests and all dreamers—“The Impossible Dream.” Brothers moved many to tears. I believe David Heimann’s production succeeded and fulfilled his ‘dream.’ Kudos to him, to Theo Ubique and the cast for rendering a most heart warming production of a Broadway classic. This is wonderful Chicago storefront musical theatre. They prove that less is more if the director has the vision and follows his dream."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Recommended
"...The cast is composed of some wonderful voices, but of greater import the acting ability shines. Each character has something to add to the storyline and they do so with great ability. While Sarah Hayes as Aldonza does not have the richest of voices, what she lacks in voice is more than compensated for by the emotion and feeling she brings to this role. In the ending scene, she will bring a tear to your eye. The other players are equal in strength of character,.."
Chicago Theater Beat
- Recommended
"...Instead of going in a Victor/Victoria direction – a woman believing she is a man believing she’s a different man – this production of Man of La Mancha introduces Danielle Brothers (Cervantes/Don Quixote) as simply a man. Brothers does an excellent job of sustaining that illusion. With a formal elocution, she portrays a man of chivalry and honor from days gone by. There are only sporadic moments of …oh right, Brothers is a woman… during some of the songs. Singing in a range not her norm, Brothers hits the notes but loses a little power on the projection."
