Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"... The visuals in "The Feast," which lasts just 80 minutes, are nothing short of incredible: Jesse Mooney Bullock's puppets are magnificently empathetic creations, much fuller than most puppets and so full of character, nuance and sadness that I constantly found myself staring into their eyes. Frank Maugeri's huge table is also a sight to behold — it's composed of a series of wooden slats, seemingly controlled by Prospero, from within which elements of the story rise up, like a giant, macabre, dangerous, three-dimensional pop-up book for adults. When Prospero pulls a lever, you get waves, objects, nightmares. "The Feast" is billed as a collision between actors and objects, and collide they do throughout the piece, often with dazzling results."
Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended
"... Without question, the ingredients for something truly rare and wondrous are all here thanks to designer Frank Maugeri and the show’s three marvelous actors — John Judd (as Prospero), Samuel Taylor (as Ariel) and Adrian Danzig (as Caliban). But director/adapter Jessica Thebus needs to go back to the original text and focus on the basic elements of narrative, and the relationships among the play’s characters,sothat the great beauty and innovation of Maugeri’s work does not replace understanding."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Adaptor-directors Jessica Thebus and Frank Maugeri have reduced The Tempest down to its essential narrative elements and reframed them as kind of meditation, reminiscent of nothing so much as Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett. Like Krapp, Shakespeare's exiled Prospero is seen as a lonely old man poring over his story—playing it out for himself as if he were about to die and wanted finally to get it clear in his head."
Centerstage - Highly Recommended
"...Danzig steals the show as Caliban, providing some of the few moments in the play where the actor, the puppetry and the physicality blend and build upon each other to make something transcendent. Samuel Taylor is also fine as Ariel and Judd makes for a believably bitter and ruinous Prospero. The three are empathetic, even if the characters and the situation are more Beckett than “Bus Stop.”"
Chicago Stage Review - Recommended
"...The traditional Prospero of The Tempest transforms throughout the story from an attitude of vengeance to an attitude of forgiveness. The Prospero of The Feast: An Intimate Tempestdoes not seem to have a textual basis for such a transition. Judd does what he can to create a trajectory for this Prospero, but without strong backing from the script, Prospero’s transformation seems hollow, even contrived. Maybe Prospero is just a rat bastard after all, in which case his tale would not be worth an audience. This is that same ambiguity about Prospero rearing its head again, and ultimately distracting from and detracting from this otherwise extraordinary work."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...Redmoon’s signature combination of puppetry, masks and movement strikingly conjures Prospero’s magic, but The Feast occasionally sacrifices clarity for spectacle. The condensed, brisk 70-minute story zooms past emotional beats too quickly for them to fully resonate."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The Feast is an illuminating and intoxicating evening of theatre. The combination of live performances (Judd, Danzig and Taylor were outstanding) and the props (complex table) with the lighting (by Andrew H. Meyers) and, of course the masks and puppets make for an artful theatrical event. Rich storytelling rivets us. So read The Tempest before you see The Feast – it’ll make your experience more enlightening."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...Redmoon’s less-is-more take on “The Tempest” feels complete, always assuming you already know the plot and characters. Real-life puppeteers Sarah Addison Ely and Dustin Valenta work their wonders from below the huge table. Their hard work manages to illustrate “The Tempest” but it’s hard to say that they capture it in all its complexity and depth."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"... Levers move. Planks flip. Puppets float. THE FEAST: AN INTIMATE TEMPEST is much more Redmoon spectacle than Chicago Shakes classic. It’s tempest in a teapot. And THIS teapot is unique and whimsical. THE FEAST is a dazzling infusion of creative cuisine. And I ate it up!"
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"... This story written by Jessica Thebus and Frank Maugeri, takes place long after the original and at this time Prospero’s magic is geared towards revenge. He has recreated his world with his magic and attempts to relive all of the past with his desired results with the aid of Caliban ( the powerful Adrian Danzig, of 500 Clown fame) and Ariel( Samuel Taylor, another strong performer) whom he has promised to release once he is at peace. With his magic axe, his drawings, and puppets ( an incredible assortment designed by Jesse Mooney-Bullock and Andrea Everman), he has Ariel and Caliban stage the action as he recalls it , or wants to recall it, stopping their action when the results do not please him."
Chicago Theater Beat - Somewhat Recommended
"... With a better sense of balance between spectacle and story, The Feast: an intimate Tempest could be a successful riff on the classic story from the point of view of its most compelling character. Instead, the production’s emphasis on eye candy causes the script to fall flat. Would Prospero actually have been satisfied with a retelling that put so little value in what really happened to him and his family? The world may never know."
