Ironmistress at Oracle Theatre

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"... So yes, some of the symbolism hits like a sledgehammer, but Yates has created a suitably chilly atmosphere, aided by Michael Mroch's set with its metal framing and costumer Darcy Elora Hofer's Vivienne Westwood-esque corset dresses, which serve as vivid visual reminders of the suffocating constraints of sexism and capitalism under which this mother and daughter must negotiate the world. And what better way to kick the capitalist model in the teeth than by offering your wares for free?"

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...The sense of constriction is reinforced in Karen Yates's Oracle Productions staging by Michael Mroch's steel cage of a set and the harness-like leather corsets in Darcy Hofer's costume design. The script gets portentous and heavy-handed, but Katherine Keberlein as Martha and Sarah Goeden as Little Cog deftly convey a longing for freedom."

Windy City Times - Recommended

"...Comprehension of our enigmatic text being difficult in the 75 minutes before De Angelis' manifesto—well, runs out of steam, and playgoers may want to shelve their questions and focus instead on the spectacle: Katherine Keberlein and Sarah Goeden navigate their fire-and-steel poetry with athletic stamina and impeccable accents within Michael Mroch's erector-set environment (its foundry ambience augmented by the Oracle Theatre storefront's renovations-in-progress). Whatever else Ironmistress may promise, there's no denying the artistry expended on this ambitious project."

Centerstage - Somewhat Recommended

"... Most of the play consists of strange, playful, then darkly lyrical conversations. De Angelis peppers these with the sort of witty dialogue any British playright worth her fish and chips is capable of, but the plot is so difficult to follow it’s hard to be invested."

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...You’ll need to stretch your imagination and exude much empathy to fully appreciate this strange work. The multilayer performances by Goeden and Keberlein make seeing this show worth the time. The folks at Oracle Productions don’t charge for tickets depending on donations from audiences after the performance. They bank on you enjoying their shows. Ironmistress’ acting makes this show jell. If you’re an adventurous theatre patron and want to see something different-catch Ironmistress and then make a suitable donation."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended

"...Worth noting immediately: “Ironmistress” opens Oracle Theater’s worthy second year of “public access” theater. All 30 or so tickets per performance are free. No question, this is Chicago theater at its most selfless and democratic. Even better news: This terse, two-character 75-minute work by U.K. playwright April De Angelis is well worth a paying ticket, let alone free passage. Written in loose verse but taut dialogue, it contrasts two Victorian women, a mother and daughter, as it depicts their plight. With no help but their own shifting standards of integrity, they confront male privilege and industrial oppression in a Dickensian world full of manufactured misery."

Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended

"...Playwright April De Angelis has penned the harsh realities of female inequality. De Angelis fuses together multiple tales of male domination. To soften the severity of the stories, De Angelis uses verse and dark humor. Under the masterful direction of Karen Yates, the two member cast is outstanding."