Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...The three-person cast of this Redtwist production spend two hours swimming upstream. They’ve all delivered convincing performances with the company before, so the problem likely lies in Michael Healey’s belabored script."
Theatre By Numbers - Highly Recommended
"...As this is getting to be a long article, I’ll put this in a nutshell for you: This play made me feel and think. That’s sort of the goal of all theatre, really. How this production stands out is that it makes me feel and think still, over a week later. I believe I’ll be parsing through those thoughts for some time, sorting through the feelings many months from now. It is beautifully written, wonderfully staged, and skillfully acted. I’ll recommend it to anyone who’ll give me a moment to mention it."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...This terrific tale, which Kirby's amused acting student tells with earnest fervor, stirs something in Angus. He joins in some story-telling himself, and by bits and flashes, memories come back. He becomes increasingly aware of his totality, his history - and a present time that is out of joint. Miles, well-meaning if impetuous, urges Angus on, and in a careening sequence forces Morgan to recast the old fable in its grim reality. Morgan also has suffered all these years, albeit in silence, and Bitterman brings a muted high intensity to the man's torment and to his love."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The Drawer Boy is a touching story about a most empathetic character with whom we quietly cheer for since we see him as a gentle soul deserving of a happy life. The triumph of the human spirit and the healing power of art, friendship, and loyalty rule The Drawer Boy. This uplifting play is beautifully performed and respectful of Michael Healey’s wonderful writing. It is engrossing and heartfelt, with a mysterious element that keeps us involved. The honesty of Morgan’s stories can test his bond with Angus, while Miles gains more that scenes for his play. The clever plot twists sure gives Morgan his high status. That friendship can be a lifetime commitment becomes the show’s message. The three actors are wonderful, with Brian Parry once again demonstrating that he is a Chicago treasure."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...from the actors to Weinstein’s direction, this is storytelling at its best. A very fun set from Eric Luchen—the front of a house, porch and front door included, without its audience-facing wall—put a bit of space between the audience and the action without ever feeling distancing. This is an incredibly beautiful production from an incredibly talented company. It’s on the verge of something transformative, but as it stumbles to its ending, it forces the audience to blink and miss what should have been a gorgeous and emotional sunset."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Redtwist Theatre, which has staged some of the most beautiful productions of the American Canon I have ever seen, is working on what may be a new classic: Michael Healey's The Drawer Boy. It is the story of a young, struggling Canadian actor and playwright, Miles (Aaron Kirby), who shows up on a farm to do ethnographic work on rural life for his company's script, and says he wants to stay and observe so he offers to do chores in exchange for room and board. He works hard for the two men who own the farm: the dark and sardonic Morgan (Adam Bitterman) and amnesiac Angus (Brian Parry), who is a savant when it comes to numbers but can't remember anything from one moment to the next because of a post-war injury."
Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended
"...Michael Healey's writing in the late 90s was inspired by his experiences with The Farm Show, a theatre collective that transformed Canadian theatre in 1972 (the same year in which Drawer is set, making Miles an avatar of their spirit). The Drawer Boy is an alternately humorous and poignant memorial to the lives of these people. Don't miss it."
