This article examines the role and significance of critical reviews in the development of drama criticism within Karakalpak literature during the independence period. Based on a comprehensive analysis of published reviews, critical portraits, and scholarly articles, the study identifies both achievements and persistent challenges in drama criticism. The study reveals that while the independence period witnessed increased critical activity, drama criticism in Karakalpak literature remains underdeveloped relative to criticism of poetry and prose due to both objective and subjective factors, including scarcity of critical materials, insufficient specialists, quality variations, and tensions between literary and theatrical criticism. The article concludes that effective drama criticism plays an essential role in literary development by evaluating artistic quality, contextualizing historical and ideological influences, facilitating multi-perspectival analysis, identifying social and moral dimensions, and providing constructive guidance for playwrights.