Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"..."Still Alice" explores much that is worthy and features some extraordinarily fine performances, most especially from Donahue, an actor of whom we see far too little, here playing a generally loving husband forced to wrestle with how much he is willing to sacrifice his own career for his wife's new needs. As Donahue so movingly argues (and Chamberlain and Dubach are right there with him), there is no question that the old Alice would not want him to hurt his new career. But then, what do you do when the new Alice does not remember that?"
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...At once devastating and enthralling, “Still Alice” is not an easy show to watch, but it is riveting from first second to last. And for anyone who wishes to be reminded of the power of theater — and its ability to explore the most complex, emotionally crushing aspects of life — this altogether masterful Lookingglass Theatre world premiere is not to be missed."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Since these two halves are never apart from or in conflict with each other, they often come across like a pair of dotty girlfriends after a little too much to drink. As a result, we never sense the terrible dissolution of identity that accompanies the loss of memory. "I miss myself," Alice says, echoing Auguste Deter. The line would have more impact if Alice weren't still on such chummy terms with her consciousness when she says it."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Much focus is devoted agitprop-style to the grim practicalities of a horrible condition—fear manifesting itself as frustration in Alice's children (Cliff Chamberlain and Joanne Dubach), disproportionate resources for caregivers over victims, an American lack of sensible or mature outlets to even consider assisted-suicide options—but Genova and Dunford find redemptive qualities in Alice's dedication to live in the moment. There is joy to be found in discovery, they suggest, even if the discoveries themselves cannot last."
ShowBizChicago - Recommended
"...There are a lot of layers to mentally process while watching the Lookingglass’ emotionally wrenching premiere of Still Alice. Based on the book by Lisa Genova and adapted/directed by ensemble member Christine Mary Dunford, this intimate production takes a truthful look at fallout of a dementia diagnosis."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...Like a composer conducting her own music, Dunford shapes this production with the creator’s clarity, fluency and certitude. “Still Alice” indeed gives the impression of chamber opera, its music written into the words. It is immediate, concise and penetrating, a lyric tragedy touched with the sweetness of family."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Eva Barr registers all of Alice's increasingly desperate attempts to seize the day and her bewildered rage at always falling short of her own marks. With terse asides and fractured soliloquies, Mariann Mayberry's "Herself" stoically testifies to Alice's busy but muted mind. Dunford's inexorable script insures that her staging charts a series of debilitating defeats, but there's no rising action here to pull an audience through the pain."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...It is filled with compassion, humor and humanity with razor-sharp clarity. How the disease affects each family member is plausibly presented. Audiences will appreciate a fresh look at this terrible disease as it demonstrates that Alzheimer's is not only a senior disease. It also mentions a test to see if one has the gene, that may be worth knowing about. This is a emotionally draining and thoroughly engaging play that is a "must see' theatrical event."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Highly Recommended
"...Dunford pulls Alice's world together with honesty. How does a debilitating disease affect the person and her family? *Really* affect them! Not how Hollywood movies give everyone the perfect lines and reactions. Dunford's reality adds significant depth to this play. The family dynamics change as members react to Barr's illness. The golden boy, Cliff Chamberlain (Thomas) wants the intellectual adoration of his mother. A frustrated Chamberlain resents the changes to his life while a delighted Joanne Dubach (Lydia) finally has a relationship with her overbearing mother. A declining Barr tells Dubach, "you can't make your decisions based on what someone may or may not do." The rebellious Dubach visibly transforms."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Many of us know of people with what is known as Alzheimer's disease. Those experiences, for the most part, are with older people- parents, grandparents or perhaps a great aunt or uncle ( depending on your age). But what we know is very little and how would we handle it if it happened to someone in our lives who was younger, someone who is active ? In Lookingglass Theatre's current production, "Still Alice" adapted by and directed by Christine Mary Dunford, based on the novel by Lisa Genova, we get an in depth look at the life of Alice Howland, a professor who is at the peak of her career."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"..."Still Alice" will have particular immediacy for younger viewers who have older friends or family touched by Alzheimer's disease, as well as more senior patrons concerned they may be candidates for the plague. In short, a large percentage of spectators at each performance will bring their own personal sense of recognition to the play. They will be rewarded with an uncompromising drama sustained by truth and warmth. The acting and staging serve the adaptation so beautifully that the viewer should leave the Lookingglass sobered by the story but exhilarated by its telling."
