Daily Herald

Anyone who has ever spent time in Ireland in a real pub - one of those well-worn, rural outposts with a sagging roof, scuffed floors and battered chairs bearing the marks of the generations who have occupied it - will recognize immediately the setting. Melania Lancy's comfortable and comforting bar, warmly lit by Julie E. Ballard, looks and feels genuine. It's the sort of place frequented by unassuming working men - unpretentious, decent men who share an easy camaraderie - whose jibes contain only a trace of venom, and whose quarrels flare and dissipate with a handshake and shot of whiskey.

ChicagoCritic.com

Set in a pub (terrific set design by Melania Lancy) in contemporary rural Ireland, The Weir, is an engaging drama that features several old-style Irish ghost stories in a setting where friendship and a sense of community reign. This is a brilliant production of a fantastic play with five outstanding performances that unfolds as one mesmerizing night at the theatre. This is one of the finest plays of the year! Signal Ensemble is emerging as a ‘must see’ group.

Windy City Times

...the cast, assembled by Christopher Prentice for this Signal Ensemble production, all but glows with the warmth and camaraderie of players thoroughly comfortable with one another, much as set designer Melania Lancy’s taproom ( with its meticulously-selected wall decoration) reflects the cozy insularity of regional trade dating back generations, if not centuries.

Gay Chicago Magazine - After Dark

Melania Lancy’s scenic design creates a believably detailed rustic Irish pub.

Time Out Chicago

Even the intimate setting by Melania Lancy becomes a collaborator—by the end of the evening we want nothing more than a pint of Guinness and the company of friends.

Chicago Reader

Christopher Prentice's staging for Signal Ensemble Theatre features a note-perfect set by Melania Lancy and subtle, unhurried performances that manage to avoid the script's occasional drunken-blarney cliches.