Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...I suspect a good portion of the audience — certainly the part that includes me — would rather have just enjoyed watching re-creations of these two famous TV families interacting with each other. As themselves. There is, for sure, great comedic promise in Keith dating Marcia — or there would be if Adams and Olivia Renteria were bolder and funnier. But Danny Partridge as Hamlet? Greg Brady as Benedick? Carol Brady as Lady MacBeth? It's a bit of a stretch. And why?"
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Inasmuch as the show is all premise, it takes some ingenuity to keep things going. Mostly, they go. I can see cutting 20 minutes and tightening some of Jay Stern's staging, but there's a lot of groany fun here, especially if you're well versed in the original sitcoms. Music director/arranger Logan Medland gets surprisingly fine results from Brady and Partridge hits. Who knew "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" would sound so good as a ballad?"
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...A big part of the success of this new production is director Jay Stern’s inspired Chicago casting. With established talent like Cory Goodrich as Carol Brady, Brianna Borger as Shirley Partridge and Erin McGrath as Laurie Partridge leaning into both the original TV actors’ quirks and the Shakespearean violence (and the stage blood runs gleefully thick as things progress), this show is as infectious as those ’70s melodies. Lookin’ for a good time? You’ve got it."
ChicagoCritic - Not Recommended
"...I think this show may have a cult following that will find it to be “out of sight”! Me? Not so much. The show is 1 hour and 45 minutes without an intermission and perhaps if there were less dancing spirits and blood soaked costumes it could be shaved down to 80 minutes. I do not recommend that you bring children to this show unless you want to pay for therapy later in life (there should be a minimum age requirement)."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...If you were around during the 1970's and were one of those families that had to sit in front of the TV for either "The Brady Bunch" or "The Partridge Family", you might just be the perfect audience for the new production at The Mercury Theater, "The Bardy Bunch" , a musical parody by Stephen Garvey that pits these two sitcom shows, that were cancelled by ABC, against each other. Toss in some Shakespeare plots and sub-plots, just for fun and you will understand the title having "Bardy" instead of "Brady". The other title of the show which by the way became a cult hit off-Broadway is "The Bardy Bunch: The War of the Families Partridge and Brady"."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...This shrewd send-up by Stephen Garvey, directed by Jay Stern, musical directed by Logan Medland and stunningly choreographed by Lorna Ventura, is a lot of fun. Keyboardist Bobby Dietz provides the excellent accompaniment, the Bard provides the plot lines and Nick at Night provides the characters. It’s just one more way to commemorate Shakespeare’s 400 Celebration with a 90-minute parody that entertains while it brings back fond memories of our youth."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...The performers buy into the offbeat book, never descending to attempts at easy laughs while still capturing the fun of the show. The action got pretty frenetic at times and I gave up trying to follow the plot literally, but taking the evening as a whole, I had a great time. After some recent unfortunate forays into the nostalgia musicals in Chicago theaters, the law of averages has finally swung over to the hit side. This one has the feel of a very long run."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Recommended
"...You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll gasp. You'll scratch your head. You'll reflect. You'll say, "WTF?!" (or at least think it). And you'll want to come back again and bring your friends."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...But the real thrill of the night is watching the two clean cut families engage in over-the-top bloody madness. Heads roll. There is a disturbing uptick in activity at Sam's Butcher Shop. Yet the play never feels that far removed from the saccharine-sweet, family-friendly sitcom of my youth. Mike Brady's (Stef Tovar) lesson to his boys about perseverance, for example, could have been lifted directly from any one of a dozen episodes. That is, of course, until Mr. Brady pulls out a knife and seeks vengeance. Then it becomes an altogether different groovy experience."
