Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"...At its best, Gunderson’s blend of contemporary vernacular and political argument brings to mind the opening of Caryl Churchill’s “Top Girls,” in which women from history join a modern businesswoman as she tries to suss out what it means to be successful. Here, Olympe and the others are trying to figure out what it means for a woman to be revolutionary. The four actors each find resonant — even transcendent — moments as they face their fates with varying degrees of defiance. (Spoiler alert: three of them die. The fourth, being fictional, does not.)"
Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...Strawdog Theatre Company's production has its share of pleasures. Chief among these is a strong ensemble, directed by Denise Yvette Serna, that lends believable charisma to each character. Particularly commendable is Goeden, who, as a thoroughly magnetic Marie, relishes her notoriety and revels in the contradiction between frivolity and nobility. Leah Hummel's costumes, all frothy white, with corsets and panniers, are striking to look at against the neon lights of Alex Casillas's scenic design."
Windy City Times - Recommended
"...Gunderson's overstuffed text offers an abundance of deconstructive analysis packed into a mere two hours, with additional clutter provided by a Brecht-Tech ambience involving industrial-warehouse decor, exposed audio equipment and matte-white fashions encompassing a Dolly Parton-sized wig for the deposed Marie Antoinette and a baby-doll frock for Caribbean spy Marianne Angelle. The first heavy snowfall of the season couldn't help but take a toll on the opening night energy level ( with Izis Mollinedo's slyly nuanced Corday emerging the sole performance to fully occupy every dimension of the role assigned her in Gunderson's brainy, witty and wordy sprint through three centuries ) but what's a revolution without a challenge?"
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...I love theater, obviously, and by and large the points it make about art and the continuum between both being a part of history and documenting it are interesting and well explored. In the balance, on the strength of a truly amazing cast alone, the show is worth your time. I’m giving this a ‘highly recommended’ with one caveat: this is not the show for the friend whose arm you have to twist to get them to go to live theater. This is not, for lack of a better term, an entry-level show for people who don’t already know and enjoy theater. That said, if you like theater, then you will like this."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...The Revolutionists is feminist history laced with an argument for the value of art in revolution. Playwright Lauren Gunderson describes it as a “comedic quartet about four women at the height of the Reign of Terror. Liberté, égalité… sororité.”"
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Serna has crafted a production with a refreshingly bold aesthetic for a story set in the eighteenth century. The actors are adorned in stark, all-white costumes (designed by Leah Hummel), while microphones dangle from the ceiling which characters use to provide dramatic and comedic emphasis to the proceedings. Each of these design elements, on their own, show great artistic promise, though whether they work as a cohesive unit is a question worth unpacking."
