Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...On 232, the passengers did not suffer an instant disaster: They knew the plane was in trouble many minutes before the landing, and the meals kept coming and the in-flight movie kept playing. As on United 93, they had the chance to plan, if only for a second. Thank God, many of them were able to remember, and act upon, everything that flowed through their heads. Much of the play, told in first-person from those chairs, contains that material. It is well worth your spending 90 minutes in its company. This is not some kind of disaster exploitation, but an attempt at life lessons for the living."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...To enter The House Theatre of Chicago's production of "United Flight 232" - adapter-director Vanessa Stalling's heart-stopping, all-consuming dramatization of Evanston writer Laurence Gonzales' meticulous chronicle of an airline disaster - you must walk through a narrow passageway much like those jet bridges that lead from a departure gate into the airtight cocoon of a jumbo jet. And once you take your seat in the all-white space you almost instantly begin to count yourself among the passengers."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...collaborative cast of nine retells, minute by minute, everything that went wrong, and more importantly what went right: a terrified but dedicated crew acting instinctively, and passengers getting each others' backs. It's an exquisitely acted and designed piece (a sound-dampening scrim creates an authentic cabin environment) from top to bottom, and a stunning House Theatre debut for actor Echaka Agba. Documentary theater doesn't get much better than this."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Stylistically, it's a thrillingly theatrical re-creation (or, perhaps, a stomach-churning one, if you're the type who will dwell on this material the next time you're getting on a plane yourself). The audience is placed on two sides, cocooned within a white cyclorama that serves as a canvas for Paul Deziel's projections. The actors-four returning from the original cast, five new recruits-trade off narratives and characters in the alley in between, in a shining example of ensemble work. It's a compelling, haunting chronicle for those of us who've wondered how we'd react in such a situation; the only dramaturgical quibble is a lack of tension, since it's pretty well baked into the construction that everyone we hear from lived to tell their tale."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The show does not shy away from the number of people killed, but its recounting of heroism and, in its own words, compassion and grace, works so well because it is so truthful. It’s nice to be reminded that in a crises situation, most of the strangers around you, such as the other audience members, will try to help. United Flight 232 communicates an uplifting message in a manner which resonates because it is told so convincingly, and in such a way that we feel its consequences."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...heir current production, now on the stage of their home at The Chopin Theatre, " United Flight 232″, is an amazing 90 minute experience based on the critically acclaimed book by local author Laurence Gonzales. His book has been adapted and directed by Vanessa Stallings ,who has masterfully created one of the most educational and harrowing theatrical experiences you will ever witness."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...The nobly creative, impressive and inventive House Theatre, about to embark upon its 15th season, leaves audiences gasping, teary-eyed and rising to their feet following this outstanding production. Because it's based upon actual events it's that much more relatable; and because most every audience member will have personally experienced air travel, the play is all that more thought-provoking and frightening. This is a celebration of the valor and dedication of the United flight staff, the strength and heroism of the survivors and a tribute to those poor souls who lost their lives in this disaster. It's one production that should not be missed."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...I laughed. I cried. I decided to call my mom from the jetway on my next flight. I also pledged to pay attention to the safety procedures in the preflight. UNITED FLIGHT 232 crashes and burns as an uplifting spectacle. I highly recommend getting a ticket on UNITED FLIGHT 232."
Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended
"...What’s most illuminating about United Flight 232 is, to quote Stalling’s program note, “the inherent sense of responsibility we have for other human beings.” Even though we know the outcome early on, the story is suspenseful, the action tight and plentiful, but it’s the acts of connection that stand out the most. Said connection extended beyond the stage and into the audience: when my friend and I began crying (and we weren’t alone), the elderly woman next to me opened her purse and handed me tissues. Though it’s sometimes hard to believe in the present-day political climate, Anne Frank was right: people are generally good at heart.
The Hawk Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...United Flight 232 is adapted and performed with tremendous humanity, creating a truly moving portait of people in an impossible situation. This masterful revival from The House should not be missed - in fact, it truly deserves a long, extended run. This may be the best production in Chicago right now."
Picture This Post - Highly Recommended
"...Conceived and executed with a graceful clarity by Stalling and her tremendous ensemble, this moving portrait of our shared humanity approaches a collective catharsis in a manner akin to the way the ancient Greeks must have consumed tragedy. United Flight 232's cumulative effect is one of beauty and speechless transfixion."
