Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...But the infidelity, jealousy, sibling rivalry, and emotional homelessness that preoccupy eight richly confused characters come off convincingly. And the cast of Timothy Bambara's Point of Contention production play the small stuff so well that the big picture matters even less. Silly distractions like an explanation of the "yes philosophy" just get in the way."
Windy City Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...Donnelly's series of brief scenes—mostly two-character scenes—are well-crafted, with pithy dialogue that's sometimes clever and rarely resorts to contemporary vulgarity for effect. It's performed by an engaging, skillful and attractive cast of eight, several of whom are too young for the ages indicated in the program ( and several of whom should remember that clarity of diction is necessary even in a 40-seat storefront theater ) . Director Timothy Bambara keeps the tempo just right and the look uncluttered on the postage-stamp stage, which benefits from Nicole Schumacher's cleanly-designed, multi-level unit set. Bambara manages to hold audience attention despite the fact that Apocalypso is almost all talk and no action, unless you consider raising a beer or eating cereal worthy stage action."
Centerstage - Recommended
"...Although his writing is occasionally more sit-com-y than theatrical, Donelly is a dialogue pro, punctuating each scene's end with a well-timed line. Quotable, laugh-out-loud funny and thoughtful, the play’s only flaw is, sadly, its most impactful feature: the ending. Because few real endings exist in life, a piece of fiction's coda offers an opportunity for a writer to truly leave his mark, and Donelly misses his. Choosing to have his characters for the first time break the fourth wall and speak almost in unison seemed an awkward choice, and the show's final moment plays like a reheated Angels In America. In other words, although still worth seeing, Apocalypso ends with a whimper, not with a bang."
Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended
"...
Donnelly seems to be reaching for Robert Altman territory, but the connections he sets up among the lightly sketched occupants of his script just aren’t strong enough to propel the slight story lines. Given the flimsy premises, director Bambara fills in by allowing his actors to play too broadly; Livingston and Rice turn their characters into cartoons. Kaehny, though, does some nice, subtle work with a particularly implausible plotline."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The complexion of these characters was well drawn out, however, some of the characters felt mismatched with their transgressions. Much like Dwight, played by Tony Kaehny, who plays the young husband who’s living in the shadow of his high school basketball days. His lack of passion as a character does not lead us to really care about him. He’s not a jerk, but at the same time he’s not exactly likable. He’s just there. Yet, he’s the one who has the biggest “surprise” of the show. When we find out what he did wrong, we just don’t care. I must make special note that this is more a writing flaw and not a representation of Kaehny’s acting. He did his best with what he had."
Chicago Theater Beat - Somewhat Recommended
"...The production’s performances are quite good. It is a disappointment, then, that the direction seems to pace the scenes in a fractured manner. Sometimes comedy is serious and sometimes it calls for broad strokes to elicit a knowing chuckle. This is a bit too serious where the material could be mined for more self-recognition. There should be at least a conga line."
