Here is what critics around town are saying about Beautiful Thing! 

 

"RECOMMENDED! Stellar performances....Such a work of very dry British humor mingled with equally - and often at the exact same time as - pathos requires a bedrock cast, and this one does not disappoint." 

- Clint May, Chicago Critic

 

"RECOMMENDED! Tender, tough dramedy....The success of John Nasca's Pride Films and Plays production hinges largely on Robert Hilliard's engaging performance as Jamie, a stocky, sports-averse 16-year-old whose confidence blossoms as he journeys toward self-acceptance." 

- Albert Williams, Chicago 

Reader

 

"★★★ - Director John Nasca and cast pull this all off quite nicely...A classic for gay and gay-friendly audiences alike..." - John Olsen, Chicago Theatre Beat 

 

"Director John Nasca is not interested in cheap laughs...and has drilled his cast in the nuances of subtextual authenticity....

a refreshingly balanced narrative with boundaries reaching far beyond those of generic 'coming-out' romances." 

- Mary Shen Barnidge, Windy City Times

 

Director John Nasca directs a cast that includes PFP Artistic Ensemble Members

Michelle McKenzie-Voigt and Patrick Rybarczyk as Sandra and Tony, with Robert Hilliard as Jamie, Charlie Wein as Ste, and Kiah McKirnan as Leah.

Jamie, a boy who skips school to avoid playing sports, is attracted to his next-door neighbor Ste, an athletic teen who is regularly beaten by his father and brothers. One night, Jamie's mother Sandra offers Ste refuge from his abusive family, setting off a chain of events that changes their lives forever. Set in a working-class area of southeast London, Beautiful Thing illustrates the struggle of growing up in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving to anyone perceived as different. It is a story of hope, acceptance, and, ultimately, of the power of love.

Performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets  are $23 on Thursday and Sunday, and $25 on Friday and Saturday.