Chicago Critic » Theatre Reviews

The Gingerbread House

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:41:27 +0000

By Mark Schultz

Directed by James Palmer

At Red tape Theatre, Chicago

“Honey,” he says, “I think we should sell the kids.” – Brian

Implausible comedy of horror shifts tone so often it implodes

Playwright Mark Schulz begins his weird horror comedy with: “I got an idea,” Brian (Mike Tepeli) says to wife Stacey (Meghan Reardon). “Don’t laugh. We are a little stressed — the money, the kids. I think we should sell the kids.” After a long repetitive coaxing, Stacey agrees; enter Marco (Nicholas Combs) Brian’s co-worker who has connections with a rich barren couple in Albania. After charming Stacey, Marco succeeds in giving the couple a reinvigorated net start in life. I never bought the premise for a moment. As Marco explains: he is not exactly selling the children; rather, he’s “brokering an offspring exchange.”

This preposterous play finds Brian accepting Marco’s help with job promotions, membership in “the Club’ and a spiffy new condo. Marco will do anything Brian and eventually he gets Brian to have sex with him. Ha?

We then see Stacey smoothly up-selling a Caribbean cruse to a customer. Playwright Schulz pushes the “Everything has price” theme further and further stretching the show’s credulity into the stratosphere. The story get darker as it depicts Stacey’s guilt and Brian’s psychological dependency on Marco until the couple start fighting.

The show tries to make up for the insane storyline with 5 little girls singing several broodingly dark songs and vivid video backdrops. But nothing can save this preposterous premise. Self destruction, guilt, and a clueless husband plow through the show until the darkness prevails. We leave the theatre wondering why anyone would produce such a play? It isn’t funny enough nor cathodic enough as a parable; it is simply an unbelievable work unconvincingly acted by Tepeli and Reardon as Brian and Stacey. The inconsistent tone didn’t help.

Not Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: February 9, 2012

For more info checkout The Gingerbread House page on theatreinchicago.com

American Idiot – National Tour

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:53:30 +0000

Music by Green Day

Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong

Book by Billie Joe Armstrong

& Micheal Mayer

Choreographer Steven Hoggett

Directed by Michael Mayer

Music Director Jared Stein

Produced by Broadway in Chicago

At the Oriental Theatre, Chicago

Noisy and unintelligible punk rock musical is really a rock concert

I must do my homework before seeing another punk rock infused musical. The deafing sound was so loud that I was worried that my pacemaker might go off! I guess punk rock necessitates that the volume be set into the stratosphere? Add the slurred Broadway pop singing style and I could only understand a word here and there. Was there a story?

The press notes claim that American Idiot is a book musical: “three lifelong friends Johnny (Van Hughes), Will (Jake Epstein), and Tunny (Scott J. Campbell) are forced to choose between their dreams and suburban life on their quest for true meaning. The three friends have the opportunity to leave their current world and move to the big city to follow their dreams. However, the unexpected keeps one at home while the other two move away. Johnny and Tunny then go their separate ways. Tunny joins the military and Johnny, he gets caught up in the fast lane.”

I guess? Since I couldn’t understand the lyrics, I had no idea what was going on except for one continuous punk rock tune after another so loud that I couldn’t hear myself think!

I am perplexed as to the merit of such a manic, unintelligible crude show about three losers who spent their time doing drugs, have sex and hanging around. I must say that many older theatre people continuously left the one-act as the lack of a story and high volume forced their departure. I think the billing of American Idiot as a book musical (it ran only 422 performances on Broadway) is somewhat deceiving since it is so difficult to follow. Volume and slurred lyrics add to the lack of comprehension for many. My guest, who loves the Green Day band, found the lack of understandable story and the high octane sound a major problem that diluted from his enjoyment of the show. So, who is the audience for American Idiot? Lovers of punk rock and Green Day? If so, why not promote American Idiot as a punk rock concert? That way, us lovers of traditional book musicals will not have to suffer through 90 minutes of theatre hell. It is more than 3 hours after attending American Idiot and I still can’t stop that ringing in my ears. So, don’t expect more than a ear-shattering punk rock musical with crude, foul-mouthed players with limited vocal chops. The high energy and wild dances and the strobe lighting will get you groggy with deafness to follow.

The young punk rockers will feast on the Green Day tunes and the old-timers will cringe and vacate the show. Be warned. Next time, I’ll send my younger reviewers to cover this genre.

Somewhat Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: February 7, 2012

Fro more info checkout the American Idiot page on theatreinchicago.com

Ameriville

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:34:39 +0000

Developed and Directed by Chay Yew

Produced by Universes

At Victory Garden Theaters

Desolation looms and hope is hard to find.

There’s a fear of “empathy fatigue” in the world today. And it’s hardly new. In our 24-hour news cycle, we’re exposed to so many stories and tragedies that it’s easier to shut down emotionally than deal with the nuances of our neighbors. Universes’ latest ensemble production Amerville seems to think that the best remedy is to use stomping to bash a message of awareness into the audience and awaken them to a reality they had already realized. It tries so hard to have an edge but becomes blunt force.

Ameriville begins rather poignantly before descending to polemic: a soulful ballad from the victims of Katrina that reminds us that devastation doesn’t stop when we stop looking. It spirals downhill quickly, trotting out endless tragic stories of the people who live in this Ameriville. Moving on from Katrina to Chicago, to unnamed places throughout and back again, a tirade of tales from one-dimensional stereotypes dances across the stage. They are meant to be the stories that bind us together. Instead, it’s hard to find a common thread that aspires to do more than provide the same kind of empathy-vaccinating serum the news-cycle provides.

As a piece of propaganda, liberals may find themselves distanced from their own narrative while conservatives cozy up to theirs. The tone drifts from comedy to satire to pathos, song to monologue to skit, with an agenda that is murky at best. Like the water’s of Katrina that washed away their American Dream, the characters are flooded by too many tropes to be anything but shallow. No one seems to have informed the ensemble that subtly works better than slamming. That’s especially true if you’re intent is to change a mind with genuine heart. Artistic Director Chay Yew said of Ameriville, “Universes weaves this beautiful, powerful…exploration of race, class, poverty, immigration and political awareness into a great adventure about what it means to be an American.”

With all the despair presented on stage, it’s more of an exercise in just how many times an audience can hear that America is a place riddled with tragedy, xenophobia and a short attention span. If it ever got around to the “hope” or “beautiful” aspects, they were lost in the midst of its own swirling set of narratives. Even the staging, with its projections of alarming facts and figures, downplays the stories of the homeless and helpless by turning them into the very statistics that numb us to their plight.

As a cast, Steven Sapp, Mildrew Ruiz-Sapp, Gamal Chasten, and William Ruiz bring an astonishing amount of energy for the sustained note they have to maintain. Singing and dancing with a frenetic energy, they pack a wallop. It’s a lot of power for an indiscernible purpose. One can admire their passion even as they wish they were putting it to better use.

The righteously indignant tone that pervades so much of the production seems to be that of the “last angry man” at open-mic night. Ultimately it’s a disappointment to see so much effort spent reminding us to have empathy for a weary world. It offends by putting us on the offensive by aggressively assuming we lack it.

Not Recommended.

Clint May

Date Reviewed: February 6, 2012

For more info checkout the Ameriville page on www.theatreinchicago.com

At Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614, call 773.871.3000, or www.victorygardens.org, tickets $20-50, Tuesdays-Saturday: 7:30pm, Saturday Matinee 4 pm, Sunday Matinee 3 pm, Wednesday Matinee 2pm, running time is officially stated as 90 minutes, through February 26.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I agree with Clint May’s review of Ameriville. I thought the show was anti-American propaganda and the piece was too long at 2 hours. It was so pessimistic that it produced a depression that made me feel lousy. To attack America so in-your-face was quite offensive to me. Several audience members left before the long 2 hour on act ended. I guess some make their comment with their feet. This show makes Waiting For Lefty seem like a conservative piece.

Tom Williams

Bachelorette

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:13:03 +0000

By Leslye Headland

Directed by Darrell W. Cox

At Profiles Theatre

Too much screaming and crudeness dooms the Bachelorette.

Perhaps the Bachelorette is a ‘girls night out’ as witnessed by the dominant female audience at the Sunday night, February 5, performance or maybe the Super Bowl kept guys from attending? Perhaps?

Playwright Leslye Headland’s satirical comedy does nothing to make women look any better than all the ‘nasty men’ usually portrayed in Profiles Theatre’s plays. We meet Regan (Hillary Marren), Katie (Linda Augusta Orr), and Gena (Amanda Powell) as they party in the suit of their friend Becky (Rakisha Pollard). Only Regan, the maid of honor, was allowed to be in the suit but Regan just had to have her drinking/druggie friends Katie and Gena with her.

In a long sequence of screaming, screeching and foul-mouthed dialogue, coke snorting and champagne drinking scenes, the three dysfunctional women show their crude, raw make up. When they spent time talking about the strategic use of oral sex on men to get an advantage, I was totally turned-off. These three unhappy and self-destructive losers were painful to watch and their loudness made me want to bolt the theatre. I found nothing empathetic nor interesting about these three. Only a few of the women in the audience laugh at some of the wordage or the physical comic scenes mostly from the drinking or snorting.

By the time Jeff (Adam Soule) and Joe (Eric Burgher) arrive, Jeff to lure Regan into bed and Joe to try to help Katie from her drunken maze, I couldn’t care what happens to the three loser women. All the noise and gross-out actions of the women made for a long 80 minutes. I can not find any redeeming value to Bachelorette since we witness actions like Katie barfing on the stage among other crude actions. This is a worthless work that seems to appeal to our base crudeness. Profiles Theatre usually picks better plays.

Not Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: February 5, 2012

At Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL, call 773-549-1815, www.profilestheatre.org, tickets $35 – $40, Thursday & Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 5 & 8pm, Sundays at 7 pm, running time is 80 minutes without intermission, through March 11, 2012

Unnecessary Farce

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:28:15 +0000

By Paul Slade Smith

Directed by Alison C. Vesely

At First Folie Theatre, OakBrook

Wacky, manic and fun farce will produce belly laughs

Written by Paul Slade Smith, a 14 year Chicago actor now on tour with Wicked, Unnecessary Farce finally after 6 years makes its Chicago debut. Under Alison C. Vesely superb casting and tight direction, Unnecessary Farce is a whip-smart comic farce that produces enough laughs to get anyone through winter.

Two inept cops, three crooks, a zany mayor, a hopeless guard, two hotel rooms and eight doors equals a classic facial framework. Farce:

“In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humor of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, culminating in an ending which often involves an elaborate chase scene. Farce is also characterized by physical humor, the use of deliberate absurdity or nonsense, and broadly stylized performances.”

Paul Slade Smith incorporates all the above elements in Unnecessary Farce. Get ready to laugh your heart out.

Kevin McKillip (Officer Sheridan0 and Erin Noel Grennan (Officer Dwyer) set up a sting to get a seemingly crocked Mayor (the always funny Dale Benson) when he meets with Karen Brown (Molly Glynn) the city’s account at a motel. The plan is solid unless everything that can does go wrong which, of course, does happen. Using matching a-joining hotel rooms (nice set design by Angela Miller), Unnecessary Farce is filled with perfectly timed door slamming, clothes flying about, back pipes bleating, misidentifications, and clever plot twists all in an attempt to arrest a corrupt politician. This wildly manic comedy features over-the-top action filled with mix-ups and mayhem that gets us laughing throughout. Seldom have I witness such an exquisite, well-executed farce. So much split-second timing both verbal and physical keeps us silly and riveted.

The ensemble performances are a marvel to witness. McKillip and Grennan are fabulous as the daft cops while Dale Benson steals his scenes as he has for decades on Chicago stages. Molly Glynn is both funny and sexy as the account. Raymond Fox is a hoot as the security man with a heart. Jeannie Affelder effectively delivers a surprise twist that complicates the farce. But the amazing work by Joe Foust as the Scottish hit man Todd gets the loudest laughs of the evening. Foust, ever the master comic, using his physical and impressive verbal skills to give his thick Scottish accent a hilarious turn.

It is impossible for me say much more about the events from Unnecessary Farce but just get out to Mayslake Peabody Estate in Oakbrook to see an impressive and hilarious evening of comic farce. Spend two hours laughing at the absurd antics of seven of the funniest comic players expertly delivering Paul Slade Smith wonderful play. You’ll leave the theatre reinvigorated and thoroughly entertained. Kudos to First Folio Theatre for snagging Unnecessary Farce.

Highly Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Jeff Recommended

Date Reviewed: February 4, 2012

Fro more info checkout the Unnecessary Farce page at theatreinchicago.com

At First Folio Theatre, Rt. 31 & Rt 83 at the Mayslake Peabody Estate, Oakbrook, IL, www.firstfolio.org, call 630-986-8067, tickets $30 – $37, Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm, running time is 2 hours, with intermission, through March 4, 2012

The Houdini Box

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:54:07 +0000

Book and Lyrics by Hannah Kohl

Based on the book by Brian Selznick

Music by Mark Messing

Produced by Chicago Children’s Theatre

At the Mercury Theatre, Chicago

Cute hour long kid’s show engages audiences

Based on the book by Brian Selznick, The Houdini Box is a children’s musical with music by Mark Messing and book and lyrics by Hannah Kohl. It is the story about a young boy, Victor (Alex Weisman) who is totally enamored with Harry Houdini and his magic tricks. NOTE: this is not the same show as Death and Harry Houdini that The House Theatre of Chicago is now presenting at Chopin Theatre but rather as kid friendly musical.

Victor is always trying Houdini’s tricks that get him to lock himself in closets and chests. They never work and his mother, played with gusto by Sara Sevigny, always get him out. She gets tired of Victor’s obsession and vivid imagination so she takes him Aunt Harriet’s house. Derek Hasenstab plays the Aunt as well as the vaudevillian ringleader and Houdini himself.

But when a change meeting with Houdini at a train station, Victor’s world changes when Houdini’s promised letter arrives for Victor. Victor visits Houndini’s home just after Houdini’s death but his widow entrusts a small box from Houdini to Victor. That changes the youth forever.

Through the musical, we see cute puppets moving the action along. Blair Thomas, the show’s director, is a master at utilizing puppetry along with live actors to tell a story. We see Victor and his Houdini puppet trying the Water Torture escape using only a water glass and a 6 inch puppet.

Imagination and songs fuel the story. Kohl and Messing’s score was bland and forgettable. A poor sound mix allowed the percussion to dominate. And Alex Weisman’s vocals (despite a most beguiling performance as Victor) were scratchy at best with his voice cracking several times. Sara Sevigny and Derek Hasenstab nailed their tunes nicely.

The Houdini Box is a fun show for the kids who seemed to enjoy the performance I attended. I’m sure their imaginations were stimulated by Victor’s pursuit of Houdini’s magic.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: 2 pm on February 4, 2012

For more info checkout The Houdini Box page on theatreinchicago.com

At the Mercury Theatre, 3745 N. Southport, Chicago, IL, call 773-325-1700, www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org, tickets $18 – $26 fro children up to 18 years old, $28 – $36 for adults, running time is 60 minutes without intermission, performances daytime and afternoons, through March 4, 2012. NOTE: the show moves to the North Shore Center For The performing Arts in Skokie: March 14-25.

Motion

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:23:21 +0000

Directed By Aaron Snook

Written by Ronan Marra

Produced by Signal Ensemble Theatre

At Signal Ensemble Theatre

A portrait of the people who love the game of the game.

There’s a meta-game surrounding any major sport. It’s the intermingling of players, fans, agents, managers, owners and a host of others in a complex play of motives and allegiances. It’s sometimes fickle, often dirty and typically obscured. Such a ‘game’ is at the heart of Signal Ensemble’s debut of Motionby Ronan Marra. It’s a complex but ultimately shallow tale of the world inside and outside a fictional flailing football franchise in Cleveland at a critical juncture for the NFL as a lockout looms over the livelihoods of the people affected.Smarmy and narcissistic Drew (Joe McCauley) is a sports agent peddling his latest blue-chip client, a dynamite but dumb Louisiana fish-out-of-water who’s a deadlock for the number one pick in the pro draft (if he can avoid screwing it up). Drew’s got to go toe-to-toe with his ex wife, Diane (Meredith Bell Alvarez), who has her own troubles trying to make a splash for herself as the new general manager of the troubled Cleveland Rams while appeasing the owner, his son and the fans. All this while millionaires and billionaires threaten to shut the whole thing down if they can’t divvy up a massive money pie to the satisfaction of their greed. Until then, Drew will have to take his star from the end zone to the spin zone and in the process expose the hypocrisy that exists at the core of a game where those “lucky” few called into the upper echelons become not just people but a self-contained business. It’s exploit before you’re exploited and anyone not smart enough to keep up will be left holding the ball.

The script by Ronan Marra is full of of pithy characterizations that move the plot along at a breathtaking clip. There’s a lot of players here, each one with conflicting self-interests that can be a bit dizzying to keep pace with. A foreknowledge of football is helpful but not essential: like Shakespeare, if you can’t follow what’s happening, just listen to the tone and you’ll be able to figure out what’s going on. It’s all a bit much, and the cast tries ably but some deliveries come off too rapid for proper digestion while the parade of relationships becomes entangled and threatens to collapse on itself. With each player and relationship getting its own time to shine, not much of anything is able to be deepened to relevance. The gravity of the lockout is too weakly broadcast early on to be satisfyingly tense, and one may get the feeling that a few nips and tucks would tighten and focus the whole on it’s most satisfying aspects.

Vincent L. Lonergan steals every scene he gets with his more-than-just-a-hick-sheriff who resents these small town boys who quickly outgrow the people who got them where they are. McCauley’s Drew is sleazy to the core, and his parrying with Alvarez’s Diane are delightful to observe. The staging is oddly immersive for a Signal production, eschewing their typical austerity for a miniature football field in which the audience becomes sport spectator to the drama of high-stakes sports management. It too is a a lot of look, and it seems to miniaturize rather than magnify the conflicts by being overly precious.

Fans of Aaron Sorkin (who helped write the recent Moneyball) will delight in the dry dialogue and shrewdness of Motion’s skewering despite the production’s problems. For fans of football, there’s a lot of fun to be had in hearing the behind-the-scenes analysis, as college players must prove they can do more than have a powerful pass. It’d be even more gratifying, then, if these portraits could be as fully analyzed as the plays themselves so that when the stakes are high, we, the eager fans, feel we too have a stake in the outcome.

Somewhat Recommended.

Clint May

Date Reviewed: February 3, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout the Motion page on http://signalensemble.com

At Signal Ensemble Theater, 1802 W. Berenice Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, call 773.698.7389,or www.signalensemble.com , tickets $20 ($15 for students/industry/seniors/groups), Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8pm, Sundays at 3pm, running time is 2 hours with a 10 minute intermission, through March 3.

Hesperia

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:35:59 +0000

By Randall Colburn

Hesperia by Randall Colburn at Writers' Theatre

Directed by Stuart Carden

At Writers’ Theatre, Glencoe

The clash of religion and sexual desires plays out in small town America

Playwright Randall Colburn’s drama about small town religion’s redemptive powers to ‘save’ two porn stars is a stretch at best. Inadvertently, Hesperia (the small town’s name) both mocks and plays homage to the effects of over indulgence in Christian Fundamentalist beliefs. The Writers’ Theatre production is the second mounting of Hesperia.

When Claudia (aka Jessica) (played by Kelly O’ Sullivan) appears as a sweet innocent women engaged to the youth preacher Trick (Erik Hellman) – possessing a God complex of the first order – we quickly see that she has a seedy past when her ex-lover and porn movie star partner Ian (Nathan Hosner) arrives in Hesperia after Claudia invited him to her wedding. If Claudia/Jessica wanted to leave her past, why would she invite him to her wedding?

We meet Trick as the bible-quoting self-appointed savior of all who he encounters. Although he appears as sincere in his beliefs, there is a hidden arrogance and self-delusional element to his make up. When he “forgives” others for their transgressions from Fundamental Christianity, he comes off with a messianic complex. Is he a mensch or a dangerous zealot? As played by Erik Hellman, we are never sure. (Terrific work by the talented Hellman.)

When Ian arrives, Trick welcomes him and allows him to sleep in his garage. Claudia is uneasy with Ian fearing that her past (know only to Trick) will haunt her and make her redemption and upcoming marriage impossible. Ian, subtly played by Nathan Hosner, quickly becomes enamored with the religious atmosphere surrounding Claudia and Trick. Is Ian really interested in being ‘saved’ or is he simply trying to get close to Claudia who he still loves? Hosner hides Ian’s motivation as he appears sincere.

We also meet Aaron, a horny, bible-quoting teen believer more confused that enlightened by his raging hormones. Tyler Ross is perfect as the naive religiously confused teen. When he finds a DVD of Ian and Claudis ‘performing sex,’ Aaron becomes more troubled as his beliefs conflict with his human urges.

While playwright Colburn vividly dramatizes the stilting Christian beliefs including Dasiy’s (Rebecca Buller) sexual attraction to Ian and Aaron’s confusion, he seems have both Ian and Claudia insincerely using the Christian beliefs more as an escape from their past sins than belief in an all-powering God. The contradictory behavior of Ian is a clue since Ian wants Claudia back, wants to be saved and he wants to have sex with Daisy.

Also Claudia is torn between her past as exemplified bu Ian’s presence and her desire for a secure life with her preacher man. Trick’s knowledge of Claudia’s past doesn’t hamper him from marrying her. Strangely, on their wedding day, Claudia is ‘turned-off’ my Trick’s sexual advances at first. Why? Trick only wants to show his love and consummate the marriage. Strange.

Colburn’s script still needs clarity and depth of character but it plays as an honest look at rural America in the grips of Christian Fundamentalism. He expresses an original voice to the complex reality of love, sex, and religion. This show features terrific work by Erik Hellman and Nathan Hosner. It sure exposes the warts of Fundamental Christianity. Definitely worth a look.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: February 2, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout the Hesperia page on theatreinchicago.com

At Writers’ Theatre, 325 Tudor Ct, Glencoe, IL, call 847-242-6000, www.writerstheatre.org, tickets $45 – $65, Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, Wednesdays at 2 & 7:30 pm, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 4 & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 & 6 pm, running time is 90 minutes without an intermission, through March 18, 2012

The Feast: an intimate Tempest

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:34:37 +0000

Co-created and co-directed

by Jessica Thebus

and Frank Maugeri

Adapted by Jessica Thebus

Design by Frank Maugeri

based on the play by Shakespeare

At Chicago Shakespeare Upstairs Theatre, Chicago

Fascinating and most engaging take on Shakespeare’s last play worth seeing

With Jessica Thebus adaptation of The Tempest and her co-direction and co-creation with Redmoon’s Frank Maugeri, the resulting The Feast: an intimate Tempest is a unique art piece utilizing some text with puppets, video, music, masks, and a banquet table made in a cross with moving slats. We find Prospero (John Judd), the Duke of Milian using his books and his magic to seek revenge with the aid of his two slaves: Ariel (Samuel Taylor) a passive helper and Caliban (Adrian Danzig) a feisty relunctant aid. When Prospero rings his bell, the reenactment of the storms that send his enemy’s ship wrecked to his island. Prospero manipulates fate to have all aboard reach the island safely.

With Ariel and Caliban deft use of the fabulous live-size masks and the magnificent puppet work by Sarah Addison Ely and Dustin Valenta, the story of The Tempest unfolds. It is Prospero’s feast as he demands an accurate account of the story that contains smattering of Shakespeare’s text nimbly rendered by Judd, Taylor and Danzig. In this vividly dazzling 70 minute one-act, we are constantly surprised by the visuals, the ever-changing table and the charming use of both masks and puppets, even flowers pop-up from the table!

We empathize with Ariel and Caliban as each beg for food and work to escape Prospero’s clutches. The short work fascinates us throughout despite being a tad too hard to follow. Only those quite familiar with The Tempest will be able to follow the text and the action. But no matter, since the basic actions of revenge and treachery enhances Prospero’s depth of power. The Feast is an illuminating and intoxicating evening of theatre. The combination of live performances (Judd, Danzig and Taylor were outstanding) and the props (complex table) with the lighting (by Andrew H. Meyers) and, of course the masks and puppets make for an artful theatrical event. Rich storytelling rivets us. So read The Tempest before you see The Feast – it’ll make your experience more enlightening.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: February1, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout The Feast page on theatreinchicago.com

At Chicago Shakespeare Upstairs Theatre, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, call 312-595-5600, www.chicagoshakes.com, tickets $35 – $45, Wednesday thru Saturday at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sundays at 3pm, running time is 70 minutes without intermission, through March 11, 2012

Time Stands Still

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:43:03 +0000

By Donald Murphy

Time Stand Still

Directed by Austin Pendleton

At the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, Chicago

Life style of risk taking consumes photojournalist

Sally Murphy plays Sarah Goodwin – an adrenaline junky wartime photojournalist who returns to her Brooklyn loft to recover from a near-death bomb blast in Afghanistan. Furiously independent, she is irritated that her lover and fellow war journalist dotes over her. Her wounds and his emotional breakdown from one too many war horrors forced James (Randall Newsome) to desire to stay in the USA and write puff-pieces.

But Sarah still yearns to go back to war reporting believing that if she documents war’s horrors they’ll be ended. She is taken off guard by James’ desire to settle down and marry. It seems that their friend and editor Richard (Francis Guinan) has found a much younger girl to love. They marry and Mandy (Ktistina Valada-Viare) becomes pregnant.

Mandy and Richard indirectly influence James but Sarah, despite marrying James after nine years, still is determined to go back to war zones. Forced to decide between her love for James and a normal life and her thrill-seeking war photographing that makes “time stand still,” Sarah’s choice to resume living in chaos is plausible and understandable.

I had some problems with playwright Donald Marguiles’ script and Sally Murphy’s bland and too laid-back presentation of Sarah. Surly, an adrenaline junky like Sarah would be pacing about as she itched to get back to the action. Murphy plays Sarah too passive. I’d like to know more about why Sarah cheated on James and why he accepted her story without rage since his soul mate betrayed him. James took the news quite civilly. I would also like to know more about James’ meltdown that forced him to leave Sarah in a war zone. This story plays out as incomplete. I’d like to understand James and Sarah. More back story is needed for me to empathize with them. Randell Newsome is wonderful as the troubled writer. Kristin Valada-Viars was effective as the light-weight young woman. This show is mildly interesting. Walt Spangler’s set was impressive.

Somewhat Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: January 31, 2012

For more info checkout the Time Stands Still page at theatreinchicago.com

At Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. halsted Ave., Chicago, IL call 312-335-1650, www.steppenwolf.org, tickets $20 -$78, Tuesdays thru Sundays at 7:30 pm, Wednesday matinees at 2 pm, Saturday & Sunday matinees at 3pm, running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission, through May 13, 2012