Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...But this is a tricky title for a Chicago storefront like the Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre, given the extensive exterior settings and the need to cast two roughly 12-year-old kids, including one as Mary Lennox, the protagonist of the 1911 Frances Hodgson Burnett novel that served as the source material for Marsha Norman's script. If you never read the book as a kid, the story involves a young girl who, following the death of her parents, is taken to a creepy Yorkshire manor house run by two rival brothers, one of whom is mourning his lost wife and another who is up to no good. Like many stories of its era, it focuses on the redemptive power of a child and, in this case, that is aligned with the titular garden, so that the musical ends up as a celebration of the natural life force of recovery and renewal."
Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...Directed by Christopher Pazdernik with musical direction by Carolyn Brady, the plot begins with the cholera outbreak that orphans Mary Lennox (Joryhebel Ginorio), her household collapsing in a whirl of blood-red scarves in Nich O'Neil's evocative choreography."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...It is not often that Chicago is greeted to a solid "Chamber Musical" , but I have been witness to two glorious examples of same in the past 7 days. Tonight, I was witness to the most beautiful production I have ever seen of "The Secret Garden" with a book and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon ( based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett). It is a story about a family that has been both torn apart and then with just the right touch finds a new family created out of love that stems from secrets that become discovered."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...Theo Ubique's alluring production is a timeless tale that blooms with the power of love. Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon have taken a few liberties with the original novel, but their musical, with its haunting score, still tells the tale of a survivor. Mary Lennox is a young girl who survives unimaginable odds and, while helping those around her, strives to become "The Girl I Mean to Be." Mary and her family and friends will certainly haunt the hearts and souls of every theatergoer who visits this intimate Secret Garden."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre
- Highly Recommended
"...Nature will always be symbolic of human emotions and relationships, ranging from birth to death and all the messiness in between. As its extension, the garden, too, metaphorically touches much of what makes us human. And so in this holiday season, Theo’s Secret Garden may just be the perfect musical to remind us that without the caring and nurturing of one another, life is mired in the ugliness of weeds lacking hope or grace. Don’t keep it a secret."
Third Coast Review
- Highly Recommended
"...Production highlights include the duet between Charles as Dr. Neville Craven and Koski as Archibald Craven. "Lily's Eyes" weaves two solos together, as each brother reflects on lost love, missed chances, and the tragedy of living in the past. The most dramatically moving moments in the show come from Koski's Archibald, especially in his tour-de-force performance of "Race You to the Top of the Mountain." Playing the ghost of Lily Craven, Brennan Martinez's clear soprano is also a heartbreaking complement to Koski's warm baritone."
PicksInSix
- Highly Recommended
"...It’s a famous children’s story that ends up, in this reincarnation, being the most adult tale in the room—and it works in both realms. The Francis Hodgson Burnett 1911 novel “The Secret Garden,” presented by the always ambitious Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre as its annual holiday offering through December 22, tells the tale of Mary Lennox, a girl doing her best to stifle her grief through her own entitlement, while simultaneously searching for her self-worth at a Yorkshire estate full of colorful gardens, one of which is locked away, kept in secret, while also holding surprises of its own."
Evanston Roundtable
- Highly Recommended
"...Theo, the intimate cabaret theater on Howard Street in Evanston, never ceases to amaze. Its current production of The Secret Garden is no exception. It is a beautiful performance."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...The classic novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is perfect, as well as the countless movie adaptations. When it comes to theater, the musical version is definitely high up on the perfection scale. With heartfelt beautiful music, lyrics, characters and story, The Secret Garden is a musical theater little gem that does not get performed on stage as often as it should. This is the musical’s first Chicago production in over a decade."
BroadwayWorld
- Highly Recommended
"...It may be the grayest, gloomiest and darkest time of the year, but something musically magical is in bloom at Theo Ubique. And with a little luck, their production of the Tony award-winning THE SECRET GARDEN won’t stay a secret for long."
NewCity Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Mary Lennox, the heroine of the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel "The Secret Garden," is not a pleasant child. She's rude, angry and sullen. And that's why she's a great character. Mary is real-she has undergone tragedy and abandonment and must be coaxed into flourishing, like a neglected plant."
