The Alchemist presented by Nothing Special Productions at Heartland Studio Theatre

Chicago Reader - Not Recommended

"...The humor comes largely from class inversion: the respectable folk are hypocrites, and the swindlers are enterprising (one even gets to keep the loot). But Jack Dugan Carpenter's modern-dress staging for Nothing Special Productions is nearly devoid of class consciousness. His characters are just mismatched screwballs--including, inexplicably, a cowboy and a metal rocker. The show therefore comes across as a five-act party trick rather than meaningful social critique. The generally broad, bellicose acting obscures much of Jonson's dense text."

Centerstage - Recommended

"...The whole cast sparkles with impish energy. Marchetti and McGill give standout performances, as does Matt Castellvi as Sir Epicure Mammon, who may have the most elaborate culinary fantasies as well as the best character name in theater history. Jack Dugan Carpenter’s direction keeps the space bustling with energetic motion, and clever use of sound and light complements the action."

Time Out Chicago - Somewhat Recommended

"...All this eagerness boils into a wash of volume, as each actor seems determined to push the decibel level to new territory, a difficult task given that the first five minutes are pure yelling. This young cast has the feel of a group playing to friends, making it both infectious and prone to going overboard. The effect is one of mashing the play into a long attempt to elicit laughs from the audience and obliterating any hope for a quiet moment with the characters. At two and a half hours, the relentless barrage of gags grows tiresome."

Chicago Theater Beat - Recommended

"...Playwright Gregory Peters has updated Ben Johnson’s farce from the 1600’s. Peters keeps the formal prose but weaves in a modern twist to the multiple entanglements. By intermission, the number of grifts in progress is exhausting. Not because the audience isn’t entertained but because they know ALL the scams must resolve before the show can end. To adapt a play for the 21st first century, you need to adapt to an audience with a tweet-size attention span. By limiting characters and eliminating scenes, this long con could be an excellent hustle!"