Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...The comedy works well in Carson’s production, but there seems to be a hesitation to fully embrace the play’s darker elements and its erotic undertones. Of course, it’s difficult to strike the right balance in the genre of dark comedy, and it doesn’t help that many of the scenes are staged at an unnecessary distance from the front row. For a spooky-season show with such a title, Witch plays it a bit too safe."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...A dark tale of devilish temptation and sharp wit, "Witch" is a treasure and one of the best shows I've seen all year. The play by Jen Silverman, directed by Devon Carson, goes well beyond anything you might conjure up and is not just a tale for the Halloween season! Based on a Jacobean myth from early 17th century English literature, this story about life and human frailty is a fitting commentary that withstands the test of time."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Jen Silverman confirms again that they’re a gifted playwright to be taken seriously. Ms. Silverman’s work ranks up there with the very best, as illustrated by so many Chicago productions. In this sharp adaptation of a little-known Jacobean drama, the playwright has injected new life into an old story from four centuries ago. With just a few twists and by updating the language to today’s vernacular, Ms. Silverman has created a mesmerizing one-act drama that’s filled with unexpected humor and feels as thematically contemporary as today’s headlines. Artistic Home’s fine production begs audiences to ponder the art of the deal and what it would take to sell your soul to the Devil."
Buzznews.net - Highly Recommended
"...‘Witch’ is well-acted and well-styled. For a play with such a dark core, there’s a lot of comedy here and this cast really plays that up. Annie Hogan brings a Molly Shannon quality to the lonely Elizabeth that makes her plight far less depressing than it sounds. Hogan’s chemistry with Julian Hester is fun to watch."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...Like the centuries-old play, Witch focuses on Sawyer, described as an older woman (meaning she was probably in her 40s), who is known as a witch in her village of Edmonton, a parish near London. She’s blamed by everyone for failed crops and sick cows, for human disease and other misfortunes. One day the devil comes to town, in the person of a charming young salesman named Scratch (Julian Hester). His goal is to buy as many souls as he can—in return for promising to fulfill a dark or evil wish for each seller. In particular he wants to buy Elizabeth’s soul and he figures it should be an easy purchase. She’s a witch and an outcast, after all—right?"
Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended
"...The ensemble’s skill and craft, under Carson’s more than capable direction, with solid production elements, gives the production a frenetic energy that builds as the story swings from horror to slapstick, from anger to tender and loving, from clever to violent. All the while delivering a mid-seventeenth-century version of 2023 social commentary."
MaraTapp.org - Recommended
"...Kevin Hagan's period set has the ideal gloom and abundance with its centerpiece of a feast worthy of Bacchus. The costumes are also period-perfect, bowing to Jacobean styles, but it is Silverman's contemporary language that allows this production to bridge the gap between ancient and modern with some necessary humor to leaven the load. It is also the central questions her play pose: "What is the value of a soul" & "Is hope possible?" - two incredibly important questions in this political moment. Seize that moment and see this play for a modern take on an age-old but persistent dilemma."
Life and Times - Highly Recommended
"...Witch, by Jen Silverman, has some wickedly funny elements to it, as brilliantly portrayed by The Artistic Home at The Den Theatre through December 3rd. As delicious as the humor is, and as much as I adore cynical humor, I am hesitant to label the production a comedy – especially because it is very thought-provoking."
