The Book Of Will Reviews

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Directed by Beth Wolf, Promethean Theatre Ensemble's production leans into Gunderson's crowd-pleasing-for-the-literati tendencies (not unlike the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love). The ensemble reflects Gunderson's directive in the published version of her own play: "Casting should be diverse. Shakespeare is for everyone." The familiar trope of plucky underdogs taking on the establishment makes it a fun ride for those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of Elizabethan theater."

EpochTimes - Highly Recommended

"...Directed with elegance and subtlety by Beth Wolf, "The Book of Will" is an engaging and often comedic charmer that blends historical fact with imagination and wit. Set in a minimalist stage by designer Trevor Dotson, the play's lighting is by Jackson Mikkelsen and lovely Elizabethan costuming is by Rachel M. Sypniewski. The perfect sound design by Alex Trinh lets audience members hear every word of dialogue clearly. "The Book of Will" moves flawlessly from start to finish."

Talkin Broadway - Highly Recommended

"...Gunderson is clearly writing primarily for the Shakespeare faithful, and well-done in-jokes abound. But to the play's credit (and in the spirit of Shakespeare himself), it also plays for those who are less familiar with the plays, with the man's biography, and with the legends that have attached themselves to the assembly of the First Folio. It's a play that doesn't back down from sentiment, but leans into humor and succeeds in moving the audience, particularly in its final moments."

Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended

"...Late in the first act of Lauren Gunderson's The Book of Will, a character makes an impassioned plea to her husband, John Heminges, one of William Shakespeare's original troupe of actors. In the immediate context of the play, she's trying to convince him to take on the herculean task of collecting and publishing Shakespeare's complete plays in a folio, thus preserving his words for generations to come. But in a larger sense it's a stirring defense of the value and need of art in the world, regardless of the medium. It is that premise that makes the play richer and more affecting than it has any right to be."

Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...As one of the top-produced playwrights in the country for the last 10 years, Lauren Gunderson strikes again with a heartfelt, touching, and funny tale of love, loss, and determination staged by the Promethean Theatre Ensemble at The Den Theatre. Blending historical literary facts with emotional storytelling, The Book of Will is a perfect mix of fact and fiction and comedy and tragedy showing the audience that love and friendship transcend the toughest of challenges."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...Without the perseverance of his devoted friends, we might not have ever known the genius of playwright William Shakespeare. The world wouldn't know such theatrical masterpieces as HAMLET, AS YOU LIKE IT or RICHARD III without the work they did. But the dedication of John Heminges, Henry Condell and their families and friends, made sure that these works of art were preserved as they were originally written. And, conversely, without Lauren Gunderson's humorous, profoundly heartfelt and historically-based new drama, theatergoers might not know the trials and tribulations that went into the publication of The First Folio. This play is a love letter aimed at every theatergoer and aficionado of the Bard about the legacy of William Shakespeare."

Buzz Center Stage - Recommended

"...The true story behind Lauren Gunderson's "The Book of Will" is compelling-the efforts of actors John Heminges (Jared Dennis) and Henry Condell (Ben Veatch), Shakespeare's colleagues-to compile and publish a definitive collection of the Bard's works in the years soon after his death in 1616. This they did over the course of four years until it arrived in 1623, and Gunderson uses a comedic form to render the story and characters involved in the effort."

Third Coast Review - Highly Recommended

"...Lauren Gunderson's 2017 play, The Book of Will, is a Shakespearean tale that takes place after the Bard dies. It would have been a tragedy if the King's Men had not succeeded 402 years ago in producing that Book of Will, a compendium of Shakespeare's plays that had never been done before. Instead, The Book of Will is a comedy that ends with the publication of the First Folio, one of the most influential books ever published."

Chicago Theater and Arts - Somewhat Recommended

"...To begin I found the script itself amusing and the premise thought provoking. After all, someone had to compile this evidently fragmented material in order for it to be bound for the benefit of future generations and I am glad of it. This accounting of what may have transpired is as good a guess as any."

Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended

"...Meanwhile, at The Den, the audience is given the distinct treat of experiencing a great “Shakespearean” play grow via this dedicated re-creation. Of course, a play within a play is a distinctly “Will-ish” fancy. The point that Gunderson makes us see quite clearly, in dialogue and thematically, is how great literature can be brought to life, how it can enrich all of our lives, how it can ring in the ears and stir the emotions. Go see it!"

Allie and the After Party - Recommended

"...Two company members of Shakespeare’s original acting troupe struggle with keeping their late friend’s legacy alive in The Book of Will. Set in an easily interchangeable set, our focus is on the constant challenges and also heartfelt moments these characters face as they work to create the First Folio."

NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended

"...We cannot all be Shakespeare. But each of us are blessed with the ability to preserve and advance greatness. By doing so we take arms against the ravages of time. Perhaps we even have the chance to earn small victories in the battle we are all destined to lose. At least that is my takeaway from "The Book of Will": In these uncertain times, it makes sense to take inspiration from wherever we can find it."