Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...In Jim Cartwright's "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice," the struggling title character escapes from her dysfunctional and chaotic life into a world of French chansons and songbooks, far over the rainbow from the working-class life in Yorkshire, England, circa 1992."
Chicago Reader
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The current production is full of terrific performances. I bet the cast had a blast learning to speak in the often nearly impenetrable northern England dialect Cartwright’s characters employ. But a little of that goes a long way. Emjoy Gavino is a revelation as Little Voice; watching her transform in the blink of an eye from wilted wallflower to a singing powerhouse and back again is truly a thing to behold."
Windy City Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The cast, guided by directing duo Devon de Mayo and Peter G. Anderson, fill in the occasionally stereotypical nature of their roles with precision, as well. Of them all, Ben Veatch makes his Ray the most humanly believable while Alexandra Main supplies moments of giddy understanding for her frequently boorish yet oddly lovable Mari. Emjoy Gavino, who potently channels Holiday and the others as L.V., meanwhile emphasizes how much our favorite performers can give outsiders everywhere a glorious way to speak."
Around The Town Chicago
- Recommended
"...Emjoy Gavino is an amazing and formidable presence in the lead role of Little Voice (a/k/a LV) in The Gift Theatre's production of "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice." Gavino mimics vocalists from the past as she articulates songs from the Big Band Era of swing music as well as favorites from cabaret and modern chanson genres. Gavino is delightfully outstanding and versatile in imitating voices that are gravelly to warm, rich, and velvety. It is sheer magic whenever she performs as a torchlight singer or even when she hums a melody under her breath. What an incredible and inspirational talent!"
Chicago Theatre Review
- Somewhat Recommended
"...There is a recurring reference to lights in the story - the fuse box in Mari's and L.V.'s squalid apartment that continually blows, plunging the apartment into darkness; the nightclub stage lights that frighten and metaphorically blind L.V.; and a light show created by the telephone installer as a passion project and as a gift for L.V. - a gift that presumptively allows her to sing, for once, in a glorious and unfettered fashion, though with her profound psychological problems barely even addressed over the course of the play, the "love cures all" message comes across as hollow and insincere. Deep cuts don't heal as easily as all that."
Buzz Center Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...With a powerful script by Jim Cartwright and knockout performances by every cast member, Filament Theatre's "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'" is a must-see. Set in the 1960s at a seaside village in northern England, this play about a young woman, LV (Emjoy Gavino), sequestered upstairs in her tidy bedroom, listening to her late father's voluminous LP vinyl collection of popular chanteuses of the era that were his favorites of his-Edith Piaf, Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and others."
Third Coast Review
- Not Recommended
"...And for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice? You need an actor who can not only convincingly mimic Judy Garland and her contemporaries, but also portray the utter waif-like fragility of the title character when she isn't singing. I'm sorry to say that this production lacks that essential attribute."
Chicago On Stage
- Recommended
"...I am used to seeing shows from The Gift Theatre in its old, cramped quarters on Milwaukee Ave. That storefront (more of a large closet, really) was a casualty of the pandemic, and the company now finds itself ensconced in the nearby Filament Theatre, a much more spacious and comfortable-not to mention flexible-house. The Gift, however, has not missed a beat in the transition. In fact, the first show of its new season, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, while it certainly could have been performed in the old space, is absolutely enhanced by the new digs. And, with two extraordinary performances, it is a perfect reminder of the gift that The Gift is to Chicago theatre."
