Poseidon! An Upside Down Musical presented by Hell in a Handbag Productions at The Edge Theatre

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Derek Van Barham's direction and Breon Arzell's choreography both commit to a more-is-more aesthetic, which plays nicely off the poor-theater inventiveness of Christopher Rhoton's scenic design. (I particularly liked how the production handled the man-falling-through-skylight sequence.) It takes a little while to find its sea legs, but Poseidon's affection for the original cruising matches course with a­­ sharp dissection of its cliches."

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...But even this cast can't overcome David Cerda's hokey script, which has aged less gracefully than Cerda and Scott Lamberty's loony, melodic score. The show's message remains compelling: The right movie at the right time can save a person's life. Poseidon!'s framing device is a New Year's Eve gathering of Poseidon Adventure megafans hosted by a woman named Toni (a luminous Caitlin Jackson); the origin story of her fandom has a bracing pathos. Less refreshing are the numerous NAMBLA-adjacent wisecracks peppered throughout the script, which are part and parcel of Poseidon!'s commitment to lo-fi, self-aware camp. Once the ship turns over-in a rollicking DIY sequence-the return on all those winks and nudges starts to diminish."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...This is a wonderful, campy, over-the-top production-just what audiences have come to expect from every Hell in a Handbag production. David Cerda, so busy with several projects going at the same time, has put his trust in Derek Van Barham, his terrific artistic support crew and his talented, large cast. The result is an hilarious musical production that pays homage to the disaster films of the 1970's. And, just remember, don't leave early. Because it ain't over until the fat lady swims!"

The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended

"...So much to love about this voyage! Although you don’t have to see the movie to enjoy the jokes and singing, your appreciation of the clever layers of snark will be enhanced by watching or re-watching it. POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical is Hell in a Handbag’s origin story. See where Chicago camp started, get aboard this sinking ship!"

Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Highly Recommended

"...It's overall a gaudy and fun twenty-year hurrah for a Chicago theatrical institution. Hell in a Handbag may not have invented camp, but they've made their own recognizable brand of it for nearly twenty years, and they show no sign of stopping. So why not jump in the water and ride the wave while you can, see how it all began?"

Chicago On Stage - Recommended

"...No one is going to come into something called Poseidon: An Upside Down Musical expecting powerful epiphanies and serious theatre; you know before you go in that it's going to be a campy and funny show. In that you will not be at all disappointed. This is classic Hell in a Handbag-quite literally. It was their first big hit and now, playing at the Edge Theatre (which itself would be at home on a cruise ship), it is perfectly situated to do the job again. By the time you reach the finale ("Keep On Climbing") you'll have been thoroughly entertained, though you might want to forego cruising for a few years."