Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...The upside of this genesis is that Hudes has become a better and better writer as she has forged this tale over these years - the qualitative difference between this script and "Soldier's Fugue" is really something. Hudes now is a very accomplished storyteller, a playwright with an emergent, fulsome American narrative, a young writer who knows that her best material is not so far away, as long as she is willing to put her family out there."
Chicago Sun Times - Somewhat Recommended
"...For those who still hold fast to their bleeding heart liberal dreams in the wake of the events of the past week (not to mention the past decade or more), a good portion of Pulitzer Prize-winner Quiara Alegria Hudes's play, "The Happiest Song Plays Last" - the third installment in "The Elliot Trilogy" - may seem like a soothing balm. For others it might feel, at best, like a deluded affirmation of wishful thinking. And some might even find it offensive."
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Hudes splits the narrative between Iraq War vet Elliot, making a docudrama about that war while the Egyptian revolution rages nearby, and his cousin Yaz, an urban earth mother who looks out for all the lost souls in her north Philadelphia neighborhood. Each story line features contrivances, implausibilities (Elliot's lover is shocked to learn that he killed Iraqis in Iraq), and mawkish cliches (a sweet simpleton, a ghost). The whole thing stupefied me. But then I missed the earlier plays."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Hudes makes no secret of her story's roots in the real-world experiences of her own family, so its atmosphere of nostalgic sentimentality is hardly unexpected. Edward Torres' direction affirms the romantic ambience invoked by John Boesche's scenic projections on the stucco wall connecting the widely disparate locales, further enhanced by the jabaro serenades of cuatro-guitarist Nelson Gonzalez. The ensemble led by Armando Riesco, as the haunted Elliot, and Sandra Marquez, as the harried Yazmin, lend depth to archetypes grown long familiar to American audiences. Ultimately, the aforementioned chronological dissonance makes for nebulous narrative, but the production's theatrical iconography redeems itself in the sheer warmth born of optimism and redemption."
Time Out Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Hudes's characters and way with dialogue are as appealing as ever, though for those who aren't familiar with the preceding plays—particularly Water by the Spoonful, which has yet to be produced in Chicago (Court Theatre just announced it will have the premiere next spring)—it could be unclear at first why these two stories are being told together."
Chicago On the Aisle - Highly Recommended
"...Ex-Marine Elliot bears a terrible burden, and he would like more than anything to unload it, or better bury it. This is the sorrowful lyric of Quiara Alegria Hudes' magnificent play "The Happiest Song Plays Last," and Goodman Theatre's fierce, funny, loving production is a highlight of the current season."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...Edward Torres' extraordinarily static staging works hard to make an even more static and discursive plot move along. Indeed, the strongest weakness of the evening lies in Hudes' inability to grasp the core of a sprawling story: Is Happiest Song about Elliott's coming of age and postwar redemption? Yaz' attempt to hold a community together (as well as the diminished Ruiz family)? A comparative exploration of the relativism of political protest? Or is it about the evocative power of jibaro music (which is used to bridge scenes that don't add up)? For the play to contain a much-needed focus, the answer cannot be "all of the above." But that is, alas, exactly what it is."
Let's Play at ChicagoNow - Somewhat Recommended
"...I love the premise of everyone's personal quest to tell their stories. Even the interludes of the strolling musician Nelson Gonzalez sings about cultural heritage. It's just that stories within stories within stories get disjointed. The connection between the two primary storylines is two Puerto Rican cousins played by Armando Riesco (Elliot) and Sandra Marquez (Yaz). Director Edward Torres uses projected texting and Skype conversations to build the relationship. It doesn't work. Riesco, who effectively mimics a variety of accents on the movie set, sounds/acts like a punk from the 'hood. Marquez, on the other hand, has a Puerto Rican accent and a maternal presence. They don't seem like cousins that grew up together in the same neighborhood or the same family. Despite a Jibaros-looking headshot, Riesco's military buzz makes him look like a blond."