Rabbits in Their Pockets Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Recommended

"...In addition to folklore, Dixon-Mays draws on elements of magical realism and science fiction in the sisters' scenes. As Black women, Ash and Harley each have their own thoughts about the qualities that have enabled their people to persevere through many trials. "Improvisation is a Black technology; always has been," says Harley, taking the long view of history from the civilizations of ancient Africa to the resilience of African Americans. Ash, with her more scientific mind, counters with the idea that joy is a Black technology, one that can literally be harnessed through clever engineering."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Dixon-Mays's comedy, developed through Lifeline's BIPOC Developmental Workshop, extends Lifeline's focus on literary adaptation, using Black folktales such as Br'er Rabbit as a jumping-off point. Emily McConnell's observant costume design distills Dixon-Mays's study of contrasts, and Shokie Tseumah's carefully considered set is full of surprises, coming alive in an excellent coup de theatre."

Stage and Cinema - Recommended

"...Coping with familial grief has long been fertile ground for theatre, from Rabbit Hole to Hamlet to Antigone, performed almost 2500 years ago at the birth of the art form. The 43rd season opener for Lifeline Theatre, Rabbits in Their Pockets—directed with an eye for character detail and ensemble spark by Christopher Wayland—is a new entry in the canon. Even by theatrical standards, Lifeline’s productions are excessively literary, their mission is to develop original productions based on literature. This particular world premiere, though, comes with a twist. Rather than choose a classic text, Kimberly Dixon-Mays has chosen to draw from the oldest form of performance there is, the oral storytelling tradition, using as inspiration, the Brer Rabbit stories by Uncle Remus."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Kiimberly Dixon-Mays’ RABBITS IN THEIR POCKETS, at the Lifeline Theatre, is a ode to Black joy and creation that will lift your spirit and warm your heart. RABBITS is a poignant tale of two sisters wrestling with their choices and dreaming of their futures. Standing on folklore and sprinkled with magic, Lifeline Theatre’s world premiere production of Dixon-Mays’ original script is a deeply moving, delightfully entertaining event you don’t want to miss."

Buzz Center Stage - Somewhat Recommended

"...Kimberly Dixon-Mays’ debut play Rabbits In Their Pockets, developed in the Lifeline BIPOC 2024 Workshop and now receiving a world premiere under the direction of Christopher Wayland, is a bold but uneven first effort. The play aspires to braid together family drama, Black folklore, and speculative Afrofuturism, but its script often buckles under its own ambition. Fortunately, Wayland’s staging and the committed, charismatic performances of his cast keep the production afloat, offering the audience enough vitality and resonance to stay engaged."

Third Coast Review - Somewhat Recommended

"...Two sisters. Ash, the elder, has a professional job with a good income. Harley, the younger sister, inherits the family home when their father dies. "Probably because he thought I'd never make a good living. Unlike you." That little jab in the first scene sets the stage for the sometimes fractious relationship between these two women and the project they embark on to rehab and sell the house, a "Black Joy House.""