Chicago Tribune
- Highly Recommended
"..."Red" is the kind of play that gets you thinking and talking about your own life. And given that Rothko himself was anything but ordinary (on the surface, at least), that is a formidable achievement. If you've got any blood in your veins, you'll lean forward into "Red," pondering its exploration of aging and the predatory instincts of the young, along with its formidable existential provocations, as epitomized by the ever-fluid battles between the red of life and the black of death in Rothko's own creations. Among other questions, Logan is interested in whether life is all about pushing back the black (even at the cost of spilling some red) or achieving the kind of Karmic balance that surely eludes me, if not you."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"... in the 100 minutes that follow, you will begin to see a great deal more. And no greater compliment can be paid to a drama that is so fully consumed with exploring the act of painting, the art of looking, the generational shifts of individual vision and public taste, and the complex dynamics of artists’ egos — torn between carrying the grand history of the creative impulse forward, and winning the attention and financial rewards of the moment."
Examiner
- Highly Recommended
"...You don’t need to need an appreciation of abstract art to feel the visceral power of Red. Throughout, it pulsates like the ever-changing complexities of Rothko’s massive, abstract murals."
Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The myth of creators coming to worship their own creations is a literary convention dating from antiquity, and in any other vie de bohéme romance, Rothko's likening his paintings to children sent out into the world to wander among strangers would come off as sentimental affectation, and his misanthropic rejection of the mercurial pop artists as upstart newcomers dismissed as dyspeptic crankiness, lovable—or not. Logan, however, renders his protagonist a hero well past the flush of youth, but still steadfast of ethical creed, whatever the sacrifice. "What do you see?" he challenges us. What's your answer?"
Talkin Broadway
- Highly Recommended
"...Red's action is all placed on the hyper-realistic set by Todd Rosenthal, depicting Rothko's cavernous, windowless studio in lower Manhattan, with a feeling as empty and cold as Rothko's emotional state. The passage of time is established with the help of numerous costume changes in the wardrobe designed by Birgit Rattenborg Wise, and the lighting designs by Keith Parham. The total package packs a lot of theater art into a short, intense and fascinating 100 minutes."
Centerstage
- Recommended
"... This 2010 Tony and Drama League Award-winning play premiered at London’s Donmar Warehouse. The playwright requested his friend Robert Falls to direct this, the first post-New York production. Logan’s dramatic dissertation explores many topics, including the nature of art, the artist’s philosophy and the profound act of creation. Falls allows the drama to unfold naturally, both embracing the silences and coaxing the play’s much-welcomed comic moments to emerge unexpectedly. Sometimes “Red” feels a bit long, but relationships take time to build; and Falls and his actors create a palpable connection that lingers after the final curtain."
Time Out Chicago
- Recommended
"... Ken lays bare Rothko’s fears that a new generation of artists—Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol—will steam roll him just as Rothko and Jackson Pollock did to Picasso and the Cubists. Without going overboard, Gero and Andrews make their arguments sound like the stuff of life and death. Robert Falls’s smartly scaled production admirably embraces their silences as well as their eruptions."
Chicago Theatre Addict
- Highly Recommended
"...In a series of tightly staged scenes under Robert Falls’ sure-handed direction, the arguments play out like an intricate fencing game. Your mind spins because Ken and Rothko deliver their cases with such intent and clarity, your opinion keeps teeter-tottering. Is art only valid if it challenges you to think deep, dark things (such as Rothko’s works), or can art also serve a more simple purpose: to please? To what extent is an artist’s original intent impacted based on the location and lighting of the piece? Is it detrimental to an artist’s reputation if he commoditizes his work? Is it elitist if an artist looks down on his audience for their lack of comprehension and discernment, or well-qualified rage?"
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"... Theatre is often about something other than what the people on stage are talking about. And Red is no exception – as Logan himself says. The backdrop is art, but the subject is mankind, fathers and sons, mentors and protégés. Art is the intellectual canvas on which these two characters paint their relationship. “The son must kill the father,” Rothko tells Ken, speaking about what the Abstract Expressionists did to the Cubists. “Respect him, but kill him.” Rothko in turn sees Pop Art start to take hold and hates it – but it is perhaps precisely for this very reason – that is, because it is the son killing the father, who is in this case him. Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews perform exceptionally well in this piece. They are not afraid to let it breathe, to pause for what occasionally feels like an eternity and yet is wholly necessary and natural within its context. They are sage enough to know that space is crucial for a piece like this. It is exquisitely executed, technically, theatrically, spiritually."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Highly Recommended
"...The overall commercial success of Goodman’s 2011/2012 season opener will remain a cherished production for years to come; it will be referred to as one of the best the year had to offer. Actors Edward Gero and Patrick Andrews deliver nonstop excitement, resulting in their performance being highly impressive. A production like this is what allows the Goodman to remain such a strong staple in Chicago’s downtown theatre neighborhood. “Red” is something everyone should see. It will give you a new perspective for artists and their struggles, but also commands the stage as a very wonderful piece of theatre."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow
- Highly Recommended
"...Playwright John Logan took a factual moment in artist Mark Rothko’s career and wrote a backstory. It’s the art of making art. Logan’s script captures the artistic conflict between being understood and being commercialized. On Director Robert Falls’ canvass, the portrait of an artist is clearly interpreted. To-be-or-not-to-be tormented Mark Rothko’s daily existence. Edward Gero (Rothko) pontificates with hard-core ego mania. Gero finds the snippets of true vulnerability to reveal a fear of black. ‘One day black will swallow the need.’ In a powerful moment of collaboration, Gero bellows ‘let’s prime the canvass.’ He and Patrick Andrews (Ken) work together to paint an oversize picture. Andrews is a work of art. He starts as a simple sketching and becomes a vibrant portrait. Andrews transforms from nervous assistant to challenging counterpart. An intensely passionate Andrews finds his depth in red."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"... The tension between these actors is sheer magic and yet we feel that there is also a connection as Rothko sees his youth fading away opening his mind to his fears of what will become of him. How can he create art for those who will not see it as art, but just a backdrop for their dining experience? How could he compete with the fame of a Jackson Pollock or an Andy Warhol? Logan’s somewhat documentry into the life of this artist is 100 minutes of pure artistry itself and Falls paints his picture for the audience with perfect strokes."
Chicago Theater Beat
- Highly Recommended
"...Red will likely not appeal to everyone. If you are not a fan of the critical analysis of aesthetics, then you probably won’t care much for the majority of the play’s dialogue. This isn’t to say the whole thing is heady. The piece actually contains some rather sharp humor. Additionally, the element of Ken’s family tragedy falls flat. How can the tragedy of a playwright’s imagination compete with the tragedy of a real man, that being Rothko? Still, the emotional sincerity of the play and Gero’s spectacular performance make it a very entertaining show."
