The Hero's Wife

“3 Stars! A lacerating and relevant portrait of how hard it can be for two people to find their way home to each other… Christensen and Fisher deliver performances that are physically demanding and emotionally raw” – Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune

Jeff Recommended!

“cutting-edge drama… another raw and powerful piece… the show is beautifully, gently directed… with sudden episodes of violence that have an almost ballet-like choreographed quality.” – Doug Deuchler, Oak Park Wednesday Journal

“No one ever really knows another person, do they?” Karyssa asks. Alex Fisher’s understated performance is marvelous… The fight scenes by R&D Choreography are moments of extreme intensity, and their shadow hangs over everything… the two soon begin a dance where something vital in their marriage remains unsaid. But what Cam thinks is going unsaid isn’t what Karyssa knows. Recommended!” – Jacob Davis, Picture This Post

“Dynamic… remarkable work in the tiniest of venues…. Barry Bennett’s sound and original music is striking… a very tense 90 minutes of theater and a look at the life of a military man (a powerful performance by Aaron Christensen) and his much younger wife Karyssa (superbly played by Alex Fisher)” – Al Bresloff, Around the Town Chicago

“Aline Lathrop’s deft two-hander, codirected by Ann Filmer and Miguel Nuñez and currently receiving a joint premiere production (with Atlanta’s Synchronicity Theatre) at Berwyn’s 16th Street Theatre, tackles the timeless theme of how war damages soldiers and makes it hard for them to adjust to life after war. But Lathrop makes one simple and less frequently employed adjustment that makes all the difference: she tells the story from the wife’s point of view. The choice gives Lathrop an opportunity to explore more sides of a sadly familiar story. It also gives her tale a tighter focus; everything we learn about the returning soldier is through his wife’s eyes. This gives the play a subjectivity that makes the more intense parts of the play—the returning soldier experiences violent night terrors—all the more terrifying.” – Jack Helbig, Chicago Reader

“4 stars! The striking final moments will stay with you, as will the warmth and humor shared by the characters even as they literally fight for their relationship and try to create a world where they can exist together.” – Kerstin Broockmann, Chicago Stage Standard

“realistic enough to make you gasp, The Hero’s Wife is directed to skin-prickling impact. It’s fascinating and frightening and difficult to turn away from, even when you realize that Cam and Karyssa are hurtling toward a potentially violent end that neither is equipped to stop… Fisher and Christensen make it look effortless, while also radiating that love that inextricably binds them” – Catey Sullivan, Windy City Times

“Lauded and prolific playwright Aline Lathrop has delved deeply into study of PTSD. She received inspiration after reading an Esquire Magazine article published in 2013 titled ‘The Shooter: The Man who Killed Osama Bin Laden.’ It sparked her interest in the plight of Navy SEALs and the dangers of completing some of the most dangerous missions possible… The Hero’s Wife is a highly recommended 90 heart-pounding minutes of intense drama describing an issue that needs to receive every American’s full attention.” – Ruth Smerling, Theatreworld

“It is gorgeous to watch” – Kelly Kleiman, Dueling Critics “Highly recommended. It’s a wonderful play… it’s the best play I have seen, and I have seen a number, about PTSD… the plays beauty, in addition to the exceptional performances and thoughtful direction, is it avoids melodrama to focus on Karyssa’s efforts to understand the truths he himself is unwilling to acknowledge… beautifully choreographed sensuality” – Jonathan Abarbanel, The Dueling Critics, The Arts Section, WDCB 90.9 FM