Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"..."The Old Man and The Old Moon" (I know, the title does not make you rush to the box office) is the kind of show that a theater can bill, with justification, as a one-of-a-kind event. But you can also see many influences of the current moment on a PigPen brand of theatricality that, for all its verve and freshness, is not as rare as you might think. "The Old Man" has a lot of in common with the Broadway show "Peter and the Starcatcher" (and is every bit as good, actually), with the work of the Improbable Theatre in England, and the with similarly postmodern Celtic work popular at the National Theatre of Scotland. If you liked "The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, or listen to Mumford & Sons, PigPen will likely be your thing. Here in Chicago, PigPen works in similar territory as Redmoon Theater, Blair Thomas & Company and House Theatre."
Chicago Sun Times
- Recommended
"...The show is certainly a change of pace from the usual Writers fare of meticulously done classics, contemporary plays and musicals. The PigPen lads' work - not entirely different from that created by such Chicago entities as Redmoon and The House - feeds on old-fashioned storytelling and a seamless ensemble esprit, with embellishment in the form of music (they are marvelous instrumentalists), movement, light, sound, elegant shadow puppets and just the right degree of self-effacing humor. The only thing lacking here is a strong-willed editor. The show, which has far too many endings, would be much more magical at 85 minutes as opposed to its current running time of 105 minutes."
Time Out Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...PigPen's invigorating aesthetic, at least in this whimsically nautical tale, is something like a Redmoon or Building Stage spectacle multiplied by a Decemberists concert. The hero's journey the guys set up for the titular cantankerous caretaker is loaded with charm, inventiveness and visual wit (with credit due also to designers and PigPen collaborators Bart Cortright and Lydia Fine, who turn Writers Theatre's already intimate space into a cozy, multilevel audiovisual workshop). The performers' versatility, both in their acting and their mastery of multiple musical instruments, is as impressive as their undiluted earnestness."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...All the elements work together to stimulate the senses; live music underscores the action, innovative use of shadow puppets to tell the story as well as empathetic acting by the seven man ensemble. Visually and audibly stunning, The Old Man and the Old Moon is an adventure well worth taking. The intimate staging at Writers Theatre’s thrust stage gets the audience as a will participant in the journey. The narrative is complete and the journey is exciting and surprisingly unique yet it somehow seems familiar. But here, imagination rules as the charming Pigpen boys stimulate us into their narrative and we enjoy every moment of the 100 minute saga. This show exudes the passion and manic energy of Pigpen boys. That translates into a fun theatrical experience. The Old Man and the Old Moon is one of the finest shows to arrive in the Chicagoloand area in many a year! Take youngsters to Glencoe to see what unleashing creativity in storytelling is all about. They’ll be impressed."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...The intimate space of the largeer of the Writers Theatre venues, Tudor Place is sheer perfection for the charm and cleverness of a new play with music by PigPen Theatre Comapny. This is not a typical production for those who frequent Writers, but is in fact, a sort of folk musical, an Irish Folk Musical ( to be sure) that blends storytelling, puppetry and is in reality more of a theatrical experience than a "play with music". Seven gentleman, each with their own specific talents grace the stage ( set Lydia Fine and Bart Cortright) as directed by Stuart Carden and PigPen Theatre Company- this is 100 minutes ( no intermission) of sheer artistry that will have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews
- Highly Recommended
"...Writers' Theatre associate director Stuart Carden is given director credit in tandem with the PigPen Company. The play originally opened in New York City in 2012 and Carden played a major role in working with the company earlier this year to shape "The Old Man and the Old Moon" into the form that now ornaments the Writers' Theatre stage. The only other local attached to the show is Mikhail Fiksel, the sound designer. The other design credits go to PigPen veterans Lydia Fine and Bart Cortright, whose rough-hewn set, costumes, puppetry, and special effects provide the perfect visual equivalent for the fairy tale story."
