Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...And although this very spirited new work at the Lookingglass is full of promise, sentiment and affection, it needs a good deal more development. One useful starting place might be the very beginning, and the provision of a reason as to why the central character of Lilith Fisher, who seems very much alive and well at 87 years old in California, is somehow reliving her difficult past in the Poland of 1939 at this, and only this, particular moment. The other might be the answering of the question as to why Lilith, played by the skilled Marilyn Dodds Frank and represented here as shrewd, funny, hip to modernity and whip-smart, isn’t just telling her nurse (and, by extension, us) about her memories in rational terms, rather than dancing with a handsome ghost from the world of the Yiddish theater."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Inspired by the work of the late public radio journalist Johanna Cooper, and written by Nicola Behrman, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman, Andrew White and David Kersnar, “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” can feel overly contrived at times. But it certainly covers a great deal of ground in its 90 minutes as it deals with aging and memory; the tension between anger and a zest for life in the “survivor”; the varied attractions of both the secular and religious life; the redeeming power of art; and the human bonds that can be forged in spite of geopolitical differences. And with his cast of four exceptionally winning actors, director Kersnar has tapped into the story’s wit, whimsy and pain in a way that is more magic than realism."
Variety - Highly Recommended
"...Chicago's Lookingglass Theater, this year's undeniably deserving regional Tony winner, often produces the kind of highly theatrical work that feels as if it is written directly on the stage and not in the quiet confines of a writer's study. Its newest show, "The Last Act of Lilka Kadison," represents another ideal example, a modest, somewhat transparent memory play lifted to surprising heights of beauty by animated design work, an astoundingly sharp central performance and a keen sense of poetic storytelling."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"... the results are funny, poignant, and romantic, thanks largely to a stellar cast, designer Tracy Otwell's charming toy-theater sequences, and the wonder cabinet of a set crafted by Jacqueline and Richard Penrod. As the health aide, Usman Ally uses his characteristic intelligence, intensity, and wit to provide crucial leavening."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Kersnar’s staging beautifully underscores the story’s haunting themes with flashes of otherworldly effects and an ingenious dual-use set by Jacqueline and Richard Penrod. Past and present unfold at the same time, emphasizing the nearness of Lilith’s memories and her unbridgeable distance from the people in them."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...This is a moving, quick paced and wonderfully acted play. Chance Bone and Marilyn Dodds Frank were particularly terrific. This is a marvelously crafted work that visualizes the triumphant and strength of the human spirit. It is one of the finest shows of 2011. Kudos to Lookingglass Theatre as they continue to earn their 2011 Regional Tony Award. Don’t miss this terrific show."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...This is not your usual Lookingglass offering. Jacqueline and Richard Penrod’s proscenium stage transforms the script into a kind of retro-vaudeville, while Kersnar encourages concentrated rather than athletic or expansive performances from this superb quartet of master players. The authors—Nicola Behrman, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman, Andrew White and Kersnar—deserve as much credit as the actors for making Lilka’s past and present engage us. “The Last Act of Lilka Kadison” feels a lot like a bedtime story that we can never hear too often or too long."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...This show had a strong effect on me. I laughed. I cringed. And when Frank says, "I'm 87 years old and all I want is my mother," I cried. THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON captivates as a sentimental, intimate tribute to endurance. According to the show, "Nothing feeds your mind like a good story." Well, this show is serving up an all-you-can-eat buffet."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...This is a story that is filled with humor ( Ms Frank has great timing in her delivery) and emotion and I will tell you that the ending will stun you and bring a tear to your eye, but not a tear of sadness, but rather of joy. This is 80 minutes of wonderful theater and no matter your ethnicity, a story that is worth seeing as both a theatrical experience and an insight into your own life."
Chicago Theater Beat - Recommended
"...The narrative moves along at a chipper pace, clocking in at 90 minutes with no intermission. The obligatory quirky theatricality here is the show’s homage to Yiddish theatre of the 1930’s. Adler drags around a toy theatre where he puts up elaborate puppet shows and schemes his larger theatrical ventures. Kersnar throws too much time and attention on these moments, though they never get close to boring. The actual love story is ill-developed, jumping through the courtship at an unbelievable pace. I can chalk some of this up to radical world circumstances and the story gets the emotional job done in the end, but I was longing for some more scenes detailing Lilka and Adler’s relationship."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...Over the course of the 90 minute play performed without an intermission, the loss of faith, the meaning of life and redemption are all deftly touched on. The show's overall message of the power of personal life stories is certainly not new to the stage. Nonetheless, when told well as it is here, such stories can make complete strangers laugh and come to tears."
