Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...Richard Cotovsky’s well-paced and zesty Mary-Arrchie production is certainly in touch with the absurdist element of the play, but rather less in touch with its darker truths. At times, the ensemble cast — including Shannon Clausen, Scott Danielson, James Eldrenkamp, Kasia Januszewski, Kristina Johnson, Britni Tozziand the excellent Kevin Stark — embraces the narrative like they’re auditioning for an episode of “The Office,” and, given the smallness of the space, the whole thing suffers from being slightly but consistently overplayed. And when you don’t believe in the reality of life, you don’t understand the urgency of a quick exit."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"... Fin Kennedy's 2007 black comedy is whimsical, savage, and invigoratingly chaotic. Richard Cotovsky's production loses clarity at times, but gets where it needs to go on sharp performances by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia as Charlie, Kevin Stark as his mentor, and Kasia Januszewski in various roles."
Talkin Broadway - Recommended
"...kudos to Mary-Arrchie for bringing this new voice to Midwestern audiences and giving the author a production that would seem to realize his intentions so effectively. Even if an audience cut out before the second act, they'd see a good night of theater before they go."
Centerstage - Highly Recommended
"...Director Richard Cotovsky uses and reuses actors, contributing to the faceless society the play depicts. Although individually talented, the ensemble's facility with dialects proves a unifying factor, allowing the audience to suspend disbelief as an unbelievable story unfolds. In totality a strong production, "How to Disappear" pushes all our postmodern buttons, reminding us of how fast we as a society scurry, only to remain standing still."
Chicagoist - Somewhat Recommended
"...the script itself felt disjointed. We’re fairly certain that’s a purposeful choice, but we didn’t think it worked. It felt like the show went in a million different directions in the time leading up to Charlie visiting Mike (Kevin Stark), which happens around 45 minutes in. Did we mention Charlie may or may not be dead from the beginning? He has several scenes with the pathologist who conducted his autopsy (Shannon Clausen), a character whose plotline seemed totally extraneous. Maybe we just didn’t get it. The show moves quickly after Mike is introduced, and Stark adds some fun to the piece - we just wish we could cut out most of what happens before then."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...
William Anderson’s inventive, off-kilter set reflects Kennedy’s disorienting setup, in which Charlie finds cutting his ties with the world fairly easy logistically but perhaps too difficult psychologically. While the playwright’s first-act rants about the indignities of modern life are wholly relatable in Garcia’s hands, they also impede our sense of the play’s direction, and the device of a pathologist (Shannon Clausen) who keeps telling Charlie he’s already dead just confuses matters. But Kennedy’s points about the mutability of identity in the bureaucratic age will be turning over in our heads for quite a while."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...This cleverly written and fast-paced show cover much with wit, humor and a stinging commentary. charlie–now Adam learns the truth that befuddles an identity change: you take your demons with you no matter who or where you are. He learns Mike’s most profound lesson: to enjoy the little things in daily life."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended
"...There are definitely the seeds of a fascinating play here, even if its present form at Mary Arrchie feels a little muddled and ill defined. There is no description of the time or place in the program, and judging from the accents employed here we can assume it is modern day England. Why not New York or Chicago, for that matter? The accents don't give us any more information on the characters, which seem sketchy at best. The locomotive paced delivery by Kevin Stark in the pivotal role of Mike makes the play even harder to follow. Carlo Lorenzo Garcia makes Charlie/Adam a sad but sympathetic everyman, while Scott Danielson, James Eldrenkamp and Kasia Januszewski all find memorable moments in assorted roles. In spite of a promising idea, "How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found" feels a bit hollow."
Chicago Theater Beat - Recommended
"...Kennedy’s razor-sharp language, exhibited in powerful monologues and witty dialogue, builds a rising suspense as Charlie runs from his former life. Carlo Lorenzo Garcia puts in an intense and fascinating performance as the deteriorating Charlie, expounding on all the frustrations of daily life that all of us experience but few of us act upon. He’s excelled only by the impish Kevin Stark, as Mike, the small-time crook who serves as Charlie’s mentor in disappearing."
