Very moving and enjoyable story
The directon was a little stagy and the actress playing the wife ( a not convincingly written figure in the first plce) was absolutely terrible
The rest of the cast was good the actors playing the movie bad guys and the god guy agent were wonderful

I loved the movie and found the play a disappointment. the play was weak, especially first 2 acts and the cast led by an OK lead was not up to the task.

Clifford Odets' play remains relevant even today. The acting however was merely competent, not stellar.

WOW! What an amazing theatre experience! The script was fabulous, the set was absolutely stunning, the costumes were beautiful, and the acting was great! And Raven Theatre's space itself was spacious and comfortable - and we only got to see one side of it (there are two spaces in the same building). I HIGHLY recommend seeing Big Knife, and I look forward to seeing more shows by The Raven next time I'm in Chicago.

The players were very good and the set was very well done. The problem is the play itself. In my opinion, it was not worth reviving.

Wonderful production values: Fifties-style set is way cool. Not sure I liked the play entirely but it was an entertaining journey to find out.

Acting consistently good. Could slow down a little here and there to emphasize a point. I think the rapid-fire characteristic of the speech was done to suggest the "machine gun" effect (Frank Capra's term) attributed to old movie dialogue.

Plot outline would remind one of the Faustian bargaining between greed and conscience in Odets' movie screenplay Sweet Smell of Success done a few years later. Biggest problem with Big Knife's take on conflict is that the author doesn't seem to settle on one resolution. Seems resolved, and then another ending gets tagged on after that, and then another. I liked that it was historical and educational regarding what Odets was doing and where his mind apparently was in early Fifties.

There was a problem with the time given for the show's opening (theatre says it's Goldstar's fault) so if you read it starts at 8:00 pm it probably starts at 7:30. Call or email theatre and make sure time is correct. We arrived at 7:30 and show was just beginning!

Well written, strong acting and direction

High value set

Superbly acted, excellent story - another fabulous production by The Raven. A must-see!

Very good, excellent insight to Hollywood's working especially in the 40's but could just as well be today maybe.

Well written and beautifully staged. The Third Act is remarkably sinister!

The acting blew my mind. This cast is so talented. The subject matter and the reactions of the people involved were intriguing and true to life. I loved this play.

I did not enjoy this production at all; it was extremely slow moving and the point totally escaped me -- I left during the intermission but doubt that I missed anything.

The staff was friendly and the theatre was very comfortable and welcoming. Really liked the lobby as well as the main theatre. The theatre space reminded me of the Appollo on Lincoln Ave. With a smaller seating capacity, not a bad seat in the house. And thank you RAVEN for having three intermissions; this made the performance more enjoyable because I could stretch and reflect upon the progress of the story, which was captivating. The characters got better as the story went on. A few surprises, memorable one-liners, gorgeous wardrobes and a set that was spot on for the time period was engaging.

THE ACTING WAS STIFF, DID NOT HOLD MY INTEREST

Play melodamatic but acting and set were very good. Not a bad evening!

The acting was a bit stilted and the rhythm was off - perhaps these things will meld before regular performances begin. Standout performances for this preview were Jen Short, Ron Quade, Chuck Spencer, and JoAnn Montemurro. Liz Fletcher's acting was essentially one note, then at the end, overwrought. Set design is excellent!

The play, with two intermissions (the second coming awfully soon after the first) lasted 2 1/2 hours, which for me usually signals some caution. However, I have to say, I didn't have trouble staying alert for it, which is good. It moved. This was especially positive since the theatre was a little warm, due to under-functioning air conditioning that day.

The actors were decent. I especially appreciated the ones who played Nate and Hoff--to me, they were the most skilled. The lead, Charlie, pulled it off, but he was not nuanced enough for me to forget that he was acting, particularly when his character was listening to others. This was an area where Nate really shone.

I tired of the "in one door and out the other" feature of the play---there are multiple characters, and it all takes place in one room, but I guess that was written into it.

I was with a group, and heard many of the people say they thought the play was good. I can't really say it did it for me, but I'm not sorry I went.

Good set, costumes and hair. Chuck Spencer,Jennifer Dymit, and Jen Short very good. The leads, especially Liz Fletcher, appear to be portraying Episcopalians as they show little or no emotion during turmoil and disaster. 2 1/2 hours felt like 2 1/2 hours. By the time it got to the end, I thought everyone got what they deserved.

ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!! The set design was amazingly well done,and the acting was passionate and powerful! The Raven is a wonderful theater that is welcoming and intimate! My husband and I ENJOYED this play, and encourage you to experience it for yourself!!! You are in for a treat!!!(smiles)

The show was great the acting was crisp.

The performance we saw was exelent! The acting was exelent! however, the use of an old pinball machine on stage was distracting. The people who were with us felt the same way. we were expecting someone to use it but it never happened, it was such a cool stage piece it became distracting. The ending of the show stinks. The author could and should have designed a different solution to the situation on stage. Hitchcock once said you never leave your audience without some type of release from tension. Instead of coming away from the show with an understanding of the studio mentality in 50's hollywood, you come away with questions of why.. and the audience should never have to answer that question themselves.

strong acting. Enjoyable fare. A bit long in the tooth (for me anyhow, hadn't slept night before) but still very worth the drive. As always, Raven delivers.

What a great night at the theater! Raven Theater is celebrating it's 30th year and it continues to be one of the best theater groups in Chicago. "The Big Knife" was a good play, exremely well acted, in a beautiful theater. Great performances by all cast members. There is not a bad seat in this theater and we will definitely make it one of our favorites!

Too long, too wordy, too overwrought. Needs lots of cutting and energy. Did not care about any of the characters. Made for a very long evening.

I enjoyed the play except it was way too long. There was a lot of dialogue that could have been left out. I liked that the stage was one set and I thought the characters were very defined.

The writing was very stilted and literary, sometimes psycho-social or philosophical soliloquies. Some acting was very good, some not so. The set and costumes were fabulous.

For someone who's interested in the history of theatre in the 20th century and/or wants an education in theatre, it is worth seeing. From past experience, I didn't expect more from Clifford Odets, who, I feel, is often overrated.

Totally engrossing, well acted, believable characters! Great time.

Sitting in the second row center, I was dismayed by the amount of cigarette smoking taking place onstage. Had I known of the smoke in advance, I might not have attended or I would have sat further away.

All other aspects of the show were well done.

First time to this theater. Great place! Play was better than expected. Wondeful actors!

Not a good play to begin with, sadly miscast here, limply directed. The first act seemed to last forever, and the evening as a whole moved along like continental drift. What the director doesn't get is that Odets plays are Yiddish theater, badly translated. At this point, The Big Knife should be played for laughs, of which there are many, albeit unintentional ones.

Performances were fantastic, there were certain scenes you could cut the tension with a knife. The first act dragged a little long, but everyone was great. And that Connie, what a dame!