pool (no water) Reviews

Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended

"... playwright Reina Hardy's script lacks the very specificity that it promises, and the story makes not a lick of sense. If Dan Foss' production moved at a swifter clip, and the comedy was more finely honed, that might not matter so much. As it is, the show's strongest element is Lisa Herceg as the title character and the only member of the Society of Lady Detectives who doesn't seem like a dithering idiot. Her Swayne is smart, swift and somewhat standoffish until circumstances force her to shed decorum. It is a hoot of a performance."

Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended

"...If you're going to depict a man forcing fellatio on a comatose accident victim, it's best to have a compelling reason why. Playwright Mark Ravenhill doesn't, beyond conveying the desperation and bitterness of his characters—a point beaten to death early on in this Vitalist Theatre production."

Windy City Times - Somewhat Recommended

"...Ravenhill's characteristic humans-are-slimeballs aesthetic differs from his previous diatribes in that he acknowledges his pilgrims' confusion (Are they preserving, or exploiting, their friend's final days, and where is the line drawn?) to reward them with a moment of cleansing insight that allows them to atone for their sins and move on, finding new inspiration free of corrupting selfishness. In the end, it's art, not acclaim, that endures, and the muse, being divine, may be sought anywhere."

Centerstage - Somewhat Recommended

"...The seesawing of the group’s psychological state fascinates and resonates with a truth most people fear to acknowledge: how thin the line between sanity and insanity. But for only eighty-two minutes, “pool (no water)” indulges too many themes, and while the group’s descent into depravity shocks enough to entertain, it stops short of eliciting concern for the characters. In the end, it’s a play (no payoff)."

Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended

"... I’m all for Vitalist Theatre moving towards fringe-like, exciting, and cutting edge work, which is, I’m sure, what they were reaching for here. But this production doesn’t push or challenge the audience; nor does it dive into uncharted territory."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Recommended

"... Director Liz Carlin Metz has her cast in balls-out mode for the shows entire 82 minutes. The movement pieces - built from improvised physical games - often seem to compete with, rather than illuminate the text, and feel repetitious. As does the one-note sound design of Gregor Mortis. Michael Stanfill's media design is as terrific as the set, but I was mystified by Allison Smith's costume choices, which don't clarify character, period, or locale."