We're Gonna Die Reviews
Windy City Times- Recommended
"...Lee is not content to leave us floundering in melancholy, though, instead proposing death-not as a cataclysmic tragedy conceived to punish each of us individually, but as the inevitable conclusion to the life that we share with everything in the universe. Whether that brings you comfort or not, the multisensory collage assembled for this streaming production by an ensemble of talented artists-most notably, actor Emily Bragg as our questioning pilgrim, along with cinematographer Justin Jones and film editor Kevin Hurley-delivers a mesmerizing contemplation on the great mystery even science has never been able to solve."
Around The Town Chicago- Recommended
"...Life and death meet at the periphery of consciousness in the experimental film "We're Gonna Die." As with other shows being produced during the COVID pandemic, Theatre Y has turned to producing a video on Vimeo. Their re-envisioning of the book by Korean-American playwright Young Jean Lee takes us to a place that is uncomfortable but inevitable. In short, we are born to die, and life hasn't been the proverbial walk in the park. The show is especially timely, since it brings to consciousness dark thoughts about disease, decay, and dying. It is also a story about life's disappointments, where our expectations have either been crushed or left unfulfilled."
Third Coast Review- Highly Recommended
"...In the days of a life-destroying virus, it seems perverse to stage a production titled We're Gonna Die. Yet Theatre Y bravely undertakes this work, a one-woman play by Young Jean Lee, in a visually intriguing and very unstage-y way. The result is a theater piece on film that sometimes resembles a set of still lifes and at other times, the contents of your grandmother's treasure chest."
Picture This Post- Recommended
"...Directed by Hector Álvarez, Theatre Y presents a reimagined virtual production of Young Jean Lee's We're Gonna Die - an offering conceived for the current state of isolation. Lee's piece is a combo play and indie rock concert, featuring a female singer who alternates between stories showcasing increasing levels of pain and sweeter, jauntier music. Songs include Lullaby for the Miserable and Horrible Things."
NewCity Chicago- Recommended
"...Each viewing offered by Theatre Y is a singular event, with a set starting time and a post-show talkback with the creators. Social distancing is necessary, but a time will come, soon, one hopes, when we will be able to experience theater in the non-virtual. Until then, this will do."