Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Both Jethmalani (who comes with a rich vein of sadness) and Bandealy (who has matured into one of this city's finest stage actors) offer more ambivalent and intriguing characters, but the overall energy of the show still seems to lurch rather than build. In other productions, the skilled Parson has forged some terrifying theatrical landscapes, but menace is muted here, mostly because the terms of engagement aren't clear. Pinter is, of course, fiendishly tricky to do well, and this early era of his writing is especially tough and dependent on a thorough roadmap through levels of subtext and unspoken feeling. This production is not without interest, but not enough for one to fully take all the necessary care."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"... Just when I thought there might be nothing new to discover about “The Caretaker,” Harold Pinter’s career-confirming 1960 play, director Ron OJ Parson and his extraordinary Writers’ Theatre cast struck a match and shined a blazing new light on it. And as it turns out, the key to this intense, frequently menacing tale about a pair of brothers and the old homeless man who briefly enters their life, is right there in the title, Biblical echoes and all."
Daily Herald
- Highly Recommended
"...Shrewdly and imaginatively directed by Ron OJ Parson, Writers' up-close-and-personal production is accompanied by a particularly illuminating soundtrack with music by John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett and Charles Mingus, whose frenetic bass captures perfectly the increasingly tense relationship among Pinter's principles. Kudos."
Chicago Reader
- Highly Recommended
"...Parson's cast makes the discomfort compelling. Anish Jethmalani maintains a suggestive stillness as Aston. William J. Norris's Davies is a classic: a stupid man who tries to be cunning. And Kareem Bandealy is a wild card as Mick, a bully who can push you into a corner then offer you salt from the cut-glass shaker in his pocket."
Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The clarity and precision of this particular production are testimony to director Ron OJ Parson's crisp interpretation, guiding actors William J. Norris (Davies), Anish Jethmalani (Ashton) and Kareem Bandealy (Mick) through detailed, engaged, physical-yet-unfussy performances. Jethmalani channels Ashton's stunted feelings through a slack body and taught face frozen in smile-like grimace or threatening frown, but never anything more. Bandealy is powerful, even sensual, the type of young man who revels in his physicality and wits. Chicago icon Norris is at the top of his game as desperate Davis, far too fastidious and forward for his circumstances."
Time Out Chicago
- Recommended
"... Writers’ production, directed by Ron OJ Parson, is a well-acted, beautifully designed, carefully paced oddity; without hitting a single false note, Parson manages to stage a capable production without creating the esoteric dread The Caretaker hinges upon. The staccato back-and-forth between head-game-playing Mick and his simple-minded target is here, but the sense of urgency isn’t. Aston feels like the missing component. Jethmalani’s performance is so subtle that it reads onstage as underdeveloped, pulling down the drama’s triangular power-grab into a flat line between his wild-card sibling and his helpless, hopeless guest."
Chicago On the Aisle
- Highly Recommended
"...Parson’s first-class direction draws natural rhythms from the players, and tension builds steadily. Not only is there no sense of overt acting, which would be deadly at this close distance, but also there’s no hint of the in-the-round maneuvering that must have been a constant challenge."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"... Jack Magaw’s junk-filled set literally takesthe audience intothe London apartment. Heather Gilbert’s lighting addsdepthtothe atmosphere. The Caretaker is a marvelous theatrical workdeftly presented by Writers’ Theatre . You’ll be hard pressed to find three finer performances that those playingin The Caretaker. I especially was impressed by the strong work by veteran actor William J. Norris as the crusty tramp Davies. Every actor and actingstudent need to get to Glencoe to learn how to direct and act a Pinter play. This is a world-class production."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow
- Highly Recommended
"...Pinter and Parson put me in the room with the action. Magaw and Gilbert make sure the room is uncomfortably disturbing. Norris, Bandealy and Jethmalani fill the room and my head with ongoing curiosity. THE CARETAKER cleans up on all levels!"
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"... Directed by Ron OJ Parson, who has brought together three strong actors to make this story come to life on a set by Jack Magaw ( an incredible array of junk, and yet the parts all fit the story) with sound and wonderful incidental music by Michael Griggs, this is exactly what a Pinter play should look like. I must give a special tip of the hat to Nick Heggested for the gathering of all this “junk” as the prop master- wow! is all I can say. The story itself is about two brothers and a tramp. The brothers, Aston ( richly played by Anish Jethmalani) and Mick ( solidly played by Kareem Bandealy) are very different and while they appear to have nothing in common , as we learn more about them, we see that in many ways, their aspirations are very close."
