The Hobbit Reviews

Chicago Reader - Recommended

"...Aside from Gales, the other four actors nimbly play all the roles, leading to some humorous wink-and-nod moments to cover the quick changes as they go from dwarves to elves to goblins. Hughes’s Gollum and Genevieve Corkery’s Smaug were particular crowd-pleasers the day I attended, but the entire ensemble does a good job of involving the audience, sometimes coming out into the seats as the journey unfolds."

Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended

"...The first thing that hits you when you walk into the upstairs theater at the Greenhouse is Jacqueline Penrod's gorgeous, minimal, and expressionistic set of the shire. The outer door frame of the hobbit hole sits at the center. Radiating out from it are wood beams and platforms in natural stains. In the distance, purple mountains loom. The light is soft and bucolic, the air hushed. Stage center by the door is a worn wingback chair with an afghan draped over it, and a well-worn book rests on its seat. The stage is set for the Young People's Theatre of Chicago's production of The Hobbit, adapted by Greg Banks from the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien."

Third Coast Review - Recommended

"...I saw the morning performance of The Hobbit by Young People’s Theatre Saturday, expecting the house to be full of squealy kids with parents. I was only slightly surprised to find myself in a house that was mostly adult—or at least teen and adult—because The Hobbit trilogy and its sequel series, Lord of the Rings, are beloved by young and old. (The play has some moments that might be scary for younger kids.) One of my sons read all the books when he was a boy and is still a fan; if he lived in Chicago, I’m sure he would have been my plus-one."