| The reviews in Chicago praised James Monroe Iglehart, the four wives, the show's design, musical sequences and choreography, as well as its ambitions and use of the Louis Armstrong songbook to convey his long career through the history of race in the 20th century, while saying the book needs to be focused more on Louis and less on his domestic issues. The Theatre in Chicago website breaks the reviews down as three highly recommended, seven recommended and two somewhat recommended, for an aggregate of 3 out of 4 stars. Rather than "not glowing," I think it is more accurate to call them mixed-favorable, suggesting there is a show there, but there is work to be done. It is hardly a case of "abandon all hope," as with some out-of-town tryouts. |
