By Martin McDonagh

Directed by Kimberly Senior

At Redtwist Theatre, Chicago

Wicked humor and savage truths mark dark Irish comedy

The folks at Redtwist Theatre continue to mount fine shows featuring terrific sets (here by Jack Magaw), expert Irish brogues (dialect coaching by Eva Breneman) and tight staging by Kimberly Senior with an outstanding cast. We are taken back to one of the Aran Islands off the Irish coast at Inishmaan in 1934 as an American film crew shoots “Man of Aran” around Inishmaan. Kate (Jan Ellen Graves) and Eileen (Debra Rodkin) run a little store on the island.  Johnnypateenmike (Brian Parry) is the village gossip who barters “news” for eggs. His daily visits relieve the boredom of rural Irish life.

When Johnnypateenmike tells about the arrival of the American movie makers, Helen (Baize Buzan) and her brother Bartley (Patrick C. Whalen) are determined to get Babbybobby (Chris Rickett) to row them ashore to Inishmaan so they can audition for the Yanks. Cripple Billy (Josh  Salt) is also determined to leave the island and search for a new adventure as a possible film star. He congers up a plot to motivate Babbybobby to allow him aboard the boat to Inishmaan. Billy is tired of all the verbal abuse and ridicule from the villagers concerning his deformed hand and crippled leg.

This often darkly funny story is filled with vicious drama, extreme truths with doses of poignant humanity and violent reactions. We see the realistic side of the ignorant rural Irish. McDonagh’s plays are devoid of the idealistic rustic sentimentality often associated with Irish drama. The Cripple of Inishmaan contains several surprising turns among twists of fate. The work contains mythic Irish fatalism as it uses lyrical language to convey cruel yet heartwarming events. McDonagh blends humor with brutality to tell his honest slice-of-life Irish stories.

The characters here are colorful, eccentric and so Irish. From Mammy (Kathleen Ruhl) Johnnypateenmike’s 90 year old drunken mother – to Kate who talks to a stone  -to cruel Helen who enjoys breaking eggs over her brother’s head -to Billy who has to endure  the savage jokes and nasty name calling–all are struggling to escape the boredom of rural life. Josh Salt’s empathetic Cripple Billy and Brian Parry’s hilarious turn as the town gossip are the featured performances among the fine ensemble work contained here.

It is a pleasure to see a major work being so well staged and performed as The Cripple of Inishmaan is at Redtwist Theatre. They continue to mount outstanding works at their intimate Rogers Park theatre. No wonder that their last eight shows have been Jeff Recommended.

Highly Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 13, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout The Cripple of Inishmaan page at theatreinchicago.com

At Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago, call 773-728-7529, www.redtwist.org, tickets $25 – $27 -$30, Thursdays thru Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 3 pm, running time is 2hours, 10 minutes with intermission, through June 24, 2012

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Brian Pastor

Produced by Prometheaan Theatre Ensemble

At the Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago

Worthy storefront Shakespeare speaks The Bard’s language with respect and clarity

My problem with most non-Equity storefront productions of Shakespeare is that the actors have no clue as to what they are saying. The seem to always place the emphasis in the same place no matter what they are saying. That indicates they they were merely  memorizing words devoid of meaning. But, I’m happy to report that director Brian Pastor’s production of the seldom produced history, Henry V  is a worthy, articulate and heartfelt production. Text coach and narrator John Arthur Lewis leads the way with a well-spoken rendering of Shakespeare’s verse. He has the cast performing in a richly clear and easily accessible diction garnering the action and motivation an easy to understand quality.

The history play is devoid of sets possessing a neutral time period with fine war video projections (by Daniel Carlyon & Paul Edwards). This gives the audience a close up of what war can feel like. We meet the young English King, Henry V (a winning turn by Nick Lake), who tries to put his wild teen past behind him as he must invade France to win honor and credibility. He is still hounded by his past pals from his time spent drinking at the Boar’s Head Tavern. Intrigue, betrayal, and colorful characters populate Henry V.  The Battle of Agincourt is vividly enacted resulting in a victory for Henry over his French rivals.

The two hour plus history is lively, humorous ,and,  at times,  dramatically impacted.  Seldom to you see as finer ensemble performing Shakespeare as found in this worthy production. Nick Lake leads the way and John Arthur Lewis guides us through the intricate goings on as Henry V proves his leadership ability while also capturing a French bride. Promethean Theatre Ensemble’s Henry V is sure worth a look.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 12, 2012

For more info check the Henry V page at theatreinchicago.com

At Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport, Chicago, IL, call 773-935-6875, www.athenaeumtheatre.com, tickets $20, Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission, through June 2, 2012

Music & Lyrics by Jeff Bowen

Book by Hunter Bell

Directed by Peter Amster

Music Direction by Doug Peck

At Northlight Theatre, Skokie

Pretentious backstage musical about the writing of a musical falls flat

[title of show] is a one-act musical with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and a book by Hunter Bell. The show chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the initial three-week creative period. The show also covers subsequent events leading up to the show’s production.

Jeff and Hunter are two struggling who writers decide to write about their problem trying to find something to write about. They also add the foibles of their two theatre oriented female friends. The show features the tone of how folks actually talk -hence – the use of several f-bombs. This much too self-aware show uses  ‘talk-songs’ – think William Finn as  his Falsettos. Those atonal talk-songs are trying to emphasize the mundane with familiar vernacular speech. If you want audiences to care about you, your characters, your concept,  and your show, give them witty lyrics and clever songs with nice melodies. Include ballads, a love song or two and a couple of show-stoppers. But do more than dialogue songs.

This style leads to sing-song sound-alike tunes that are not only forgettable but irritating after the first two or three. With song names such as “Two Nobodies in New York,” “Monkeys and Playbills”  and “Die Vampire, Die,” you can imagine how bland this show becomes. While this tedious and too long one-act (by 20 minutes) tries to be a love letter to the musical theatre, it emerges as an example of how two untalented writers actually got their moments of glory but getting their foul-mouthed, self-aggrandizing show produced.  [title of show] ran on Broadway in 2009 for  only 115 performances.

This  razor-thin premise wares out after we experience the actual show-within-a-show leading to several false endings that only further frustrates audiences. After about 50 minutes, with each Montage song , audience members left they show and once they show ended, a short mild applause greeted the production. The cast, McKinley Carter, Matthew Crowle, Stephen Schellhardt and Christine Sherill tried too hard to impress. Crowle, in particular, came off as obnoxious while Sherrill screamed her anthems. In fairness, the cast had such light-weight material to work with that they had to force things. Doug Peck, as music director and accompanying pianist, also had little to work with. I’m  amazed that Northlight Theatre picked  such a weak and tuneless musical, they usually select terrific shows.

Not Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

For more info checkout the [title of show] page at theatreeinchicago.com

At Northlight Theatre, 9501 N. Skokie Blvd, Skokie, IL, call 847-673-6300, www.northlight.org, tickets $25 – $65, Tuesdays thru Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at  2:30 & 7 pm, matinees on Wednesdays at 1 pm, Saturdays at 2:30 pm, running time is 100 minutes without an intermission, through June 10, 2012

My Kind Of Town by John Conroy

Directed by Nick Bowling

At TimeLine Theatre, Chicago

Truthful drama puts a human face on police torture in Chicago

Investigative journalist John Conroy’s cover story for the Chicago Reader in 1990 – “House of Screams” alleged use of torture on suspects in major crime investigations by the Chicago Police Department.  (Full disclosure: I was a Chicago Police Officer in the 1970′s working in Patrol, Traffic and Training.) Over the course of that time, I heard rumors of a rogue bunch of detectives and their lieutenant using torture as a means to getting confessions. Since I never worked as a police officer on Chicago’s South Side,  I had no direct knowledge or contact with homicide detectives.

But I must say that John Conroy’s world premiere My Kind of Town aptly captures the police mentality that was used to justify the use of torture. After being conditioned by the Vietnam War, some officers became so mean and so hateful of violent criminals that they used torture among other “means to justify their ends.” Rather than doing legitimate investigate police work, these rogue officers resorted to physical and emotional torture  to both garner confessions and to inflict punishment on suspects.  More than once, as a rookie cop, I heard things like “that gang-banger deserved and got a beating after all he did…” Conroy’s play covers both sides–the victims and the detective’s point of view.

A man sits on death row after being convicted of murder based on limited circumstantial evidence and hiss confession to the police and to the  States Attorney.  Otha Jeffries (terrific work by Charles Gardner) is an angry, loud-mouthed petty criminal who riles everyone he encounters making it easy for sadistic, close-minded cops to use torture on him to get him “to come clean” about a murder. We meet his family: his mother Rita (Ora Jones) who is determined to help prove Otha innocent. Albert Jeffres (Trinity P. Murdock) is Otha’s estranged father and Chicago Police officer – he is not sure of Othra’s innocence.

We see an attorney, Robert Morales (Derek Garza), doing legal defense work as part of an anti-death penalty group. He endures much anger as he tries to get a new hearing for Otha. Next, we get glimpses into the home life of detective Dan Breen (David Parkes) one of Otha’s tortures.  We see that Breen is a human and a family man who hides his evil tactics from his wife. He is part of those who believe that have a mission to rid the world (and Chicago) of all evil. In his mind, Breen justifies torture as necessary. Breen’s sister and wife eventually wonder what Dan did as the stories become public.

We also see how the Felony Review States Attorney, Maureen Buckley (Maggie Kettering) while visiting the police station neither witnesses nor wants to know how the police got Otha to confess. She only wants to hear his confession. A veteran black police detective George Dawson (A. C. Smith) goes along but doesn’t participate in the dubious interrogation tactics.   He is among many who don’t want to “rock the boat” about immoral practices.

Conroy uses interlocking story lines and smartly constructed flashbacks to humanize the issue and effects of corruption and coverup on all players. Who is responsible and how is justice corrupted by use of torture is vividly depicted. All side of the issue are explored including references to the guilt or innocence of Otha and other torture victims. Is society better served with keeping possibly guilt people , especially those with a long history of violent actions, behind bars  despite their convictions being tainted by police misconduct? In today’s culture of fear that asks for more law and order, My Kind of Town presents the human cost of immoral police tactics. We see that all sides of the question are destroyed by use of torture–guilt from those cops who went along to get along; to the cops families who question the humanity of their spouse; and, of course, to the incarcerated and their families. The social cost of torture demands that justice be served. Thankfully, new training and oversight mechanisms by the Chicago Police Department make such practices difficult to be used today.

But, My Kind of Town is a power, yet balanced, drama that is free of  polemic, rather it should stimulate a means of provocation and catharsis that can be helpful in placing moral responsibility to those who were a part of those terrible days. We never really know the end of Otha’s story yet we do.  I can see this play as a film or a cable TV show.

Highly Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 11, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout the My Kind of Town page at theatreinchicago.com

At TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington, Chicago, IL, call 773-281-8463, www.timelinetheatre.com, tickets $32 – $42, Wednesdays & Fridays at 7:30 pm, Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 4 & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission, through July 29, 2012

A Little Night Music at Writers' Theatre

Book by Hugh Wheeler

Directed by William Brown

Music Direction by Valerie Maze

At Writers’ Theatre, Glencoe

Elegant, charming, superbly sung intimate chamber operetta – A Little Night Music – unfolds as a sumptuous celebration of romance

Writers’ Theatre’s intimate space on Tudor Court in Glencoe is the perfect venue for Stephen Sondheim’s gem of a chamber operetta, A Little Night Music. With a cast of  superb actors with gorgeous voices, director William Brown’s musical soars to the heavens.  It is so refreshing to hear every word enunciated and sang so fully in character exuding all the wit, cynicism of 1900 Sweden without any amplification. Yes, it is possible to mount a musical without mics – but – it takes singers who can belt and project. This cast sure does – and – they produce wonderful harmonies and coral work as needed.

Stephen Sondheim’s 1973 musical–operetta really–A Little Night Music – won 6 Tony Awards yet it only played Broadway for 601 performances! With a smart, witty book and biting dialogue by Hugh Wheeler, A Little Night Music contains a lush, romantic waltz-time score by Sondheim.  Based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, the play is set in Sweden at the turn of the century.

We meet Madame Armfeldt (Deanna Dunagan) who tells her grand daughter Fredika (Shannon Corey) that the summer night “smiles” three times: first on the young, second on fools, and third on the old. Fredrika vows to try and watch the smiles occur. Next, comes Fredril Egerman (the commanding  and golden voiced Jonathan Weir), a middle aged lawyer and his trophy wife–the 18 year old and still virgin Anne (Kristen French) with Henrik Egerman (Royen Kent)–the son who struggles with religion and lust.

Add Desiree Armsfeldt (the fabulous Shannon Cochran) lost love, rekindling romance and passion.

The costumes (by Rachel Anne Healy) on Kevin Depinet’s original set with Jesse Klugr’s lighting made a sensual atmosphere to a long Swedish summer night in the country. Sondheim’s eloquent score contains songs like “Remember,” “The Glamorous Life,” “A Weekend in the Country” and the signature tune “Send in the Clowns.”  Jonathan Weir, Shannon Cochran, Brandon Daahlquist, Brianna Borger (as Petra) easily nailed their songs with aplomb and heart. I especially enjoyed the honest performance by Deanna Dunagan as the wise old grandmother. Brianna Borger, as Petra, delivers “The Miller’s Son” in a movingly emotional tone.

But, ultimately, A Little Night Music, is a most romantic chamber piece devoted to the awakened passions of the players as they evoke the harmonies of Sondheim’s waltz time score. Valerie Maze has her five member orchestra nimbly  extolling the hauntingly beautiful score.  The signature song, “Send In The  Clowns’ (one of my all-time favorite show tunes) was marvelously sung by Shannon Cochran as she landed all the emotions, all the angst, and all the nuances of Sondheim’s appropriate lyrics. Cochran sent chills down my spine with her rich rendition.Where are the clowns?

Writers’ Theatre creative prowess and strong attention to production values gives their production of A Little Night Music the elegance and presence that exudes enough charm to warm the soul. Writers’ A Little Night Music is a major tour de force not only for Jonathan Weir but for the production itself. This may be the finest production of Sondheim’s chamber operetta yet to be mounted on a Chicago stage! This gorgeous work begs to be seen.  You’ll not hear finer singing anywhere.

Highly Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 10, 2012

For more info checkout the A Little Night Music page at theatreinchicago.com

At Writers’ Theatre. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, IL, call 847-242-6000, www.writerstheatre.org, tickets $45 – $65, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 7:30, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 4 & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 & 6 pm, running time is 2 hours with intermission, through July 8, 2012

By Sean Grennan

Directed by William Pullinsi

At the Theatre at the Center, Munster, IN

Inspired by the Woody Allen joke: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”

Cute, smart and well performed familycomedy pleases audiences

Sean Grennan’s Making God Laugh is a touchingly heartwarming family comedy that is so well cast and so well performed that we do actually believe we are witnessing an actual family saga. The impressive middle class family home set (by Angie Weber-Miller) sets the tone for the holiday tradition that finds the ‘empty nester’ parents – Jimmy (Craig Spidle) and Ruthie (Peggy Roeder) as they welcome their grown children home for various holidays. Thanksgiving 1980 finds Richard (Joe Foust), the son and former high school football star with the losing entrepreneur bent ( he bought a Pacer car and invests losers like  Yugo cars, Enron but spurns winners like Google). Maddie (Erin Noel Grennan) is the actress daughter who is constantly nagged by her mother Ruthie for being an actor and not being married. Thomas (Kevin Mckillip) is the the golden son because he is a Catholic priest.

This family comedy moves from 1980 Thanksgiving to Christmas 1990 to New Year’s Eve 1999/2000 to the present day. We see the parents and the children age with the terrific wigs (designed by Kevin Barthel) and through the period correct costume designs by Brenda Winstead. Among the ongoing gags is Ruthie’s horrible “Fantasia” dip that smells lousy and tastes worse. No one has the guts to tell Ruthie that her specialty sucks.  During the four scenes, we see how the family has changed physically over the decades and how tensions flare up as unresolved issues re-emerge and unspoken past issues linger. The smart writing by Sean Grennan is well executed by the team of outstanding “A” list cast members. This is one quite funny show. Each decade is framed through this middle class family.

From Peggy Roeder’s Edith Bunker-esque turn as the mother, to Craig Spidle’s copacetic father to Joe Foust’s flamboyant loser son to Erin Noel Grennan’s liberated woman persona to Kevin McKillip’s saintly priest – we empathize with the foibles of this honestly presentation of the ‘average’ middle class American family. This family could be our family, that’s why their peculiarities could be ours. What family doesn’t have to endure a terrible dish from a relative? Fantasia dip anyone?  You’ll laugh plenty at this honest, well staged family comedy.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Tslk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 6, 2012

Jeff Recommended

Fro more info checkout the Making God Laugh page at theatreinchicago.com

At Theatre at the Center, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN, call 219-836-3255, www.theatreatthecenter.com, tickets $38 – $42, Wednesdays & Thursdays at 2 pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm, select Thursdays evenings and Saturday matinees, running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission, through June 10, 2012

Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

Directed & Choreographed by Adam Pelty

Music direction by Diana Lawrence

Produced by Porchlight Music Theatre

At Stage 773, Chicago

Earlier Larson musical hints at RENT

I must state upfront that over the years, and especially since I’ve been covering opera over the last five years, my toleration for an appreciation of pop/rock style music and singing have drastically deteriorated.  Maybe it’s the lack of melodies or the stutter-style singing that hardcore rockers call “Broadway rock” that I find offensive?  Add the muddled singing that renders much of the lyrics difficult to understand and I find such shows as RENT or tick,tick, BOOM! hard to swallow. But since there is a large audience for pop/rock shows, let me state that Adam Pelty’s tick, tick, BOOM! contains enough energy, heart, and tunefulness to satisfy the core audience.

Before he wrote RENT, Jonathan Larson wrote and performed tick, tick…BOOM! as an autobiographical look at his dream of leaving his mark on musical theatre. Some would argue that tick, tick, BOOM! is Larson’s best work even though RENT is his most well known rock opera. I have always  liked tic, tic…BOOM! better than RENT mainly because it is structured more like a traditional Broadway musical.

The angst of turning 30 years old become tragic for Jon. Really, I though adulthood starts at 3o?

tic, tic…BOOM! is a musical look at holding onto one’s dreams in the modern world when all your friends are ‘selling out’ to lucrative corporate careers and abandoning the arts. We meet Jon (Adrian Aguilarl) and his best friend Michael (Bear Bellinger) and Jon’s girl Susan (Jenny Guse) just before Jon’s thirtieth birthday and his showcase of his new musical, Superbia. Jon is desperate to make it on Broadway as a playwright but impending marriage, career changes and his girl’s desire to live in suburbia all threaten his ‘real’ dream. Does he sell out or persevere?

Set in 1990 in New York City, this youthful fast-paced show contains enough pop and rock tunes to suggest Larson, indeed, is out to change musical theatre. There is a Sondheim influence that serves the work well. Tic, tick…BOOM! isn’t a great show, yet it is an entertaining early look at the struggles of chasing one’s dreams.

Adrian Aguilaris most empathetic while Bear Bellinger is quite versatile. Jenny Guse needs to project more during her numbers. The music was fine but the percussion could be toned down a tad  since it dominates.

Tic, tic…BOOM! unfolds as an ode to Jonathan Larson and to all struggling artist who steadfastly hold onto their dreams. Porchlight Music Theatre’s production is engaging and tuneful. It hints at the style that would make RENT into a hit rock opera. Pop rock musical fans will enjoy this show. Lovers of  RENT and pop/rock musicals will enjoy this worthy production – lovers of old-time Broadway may resist.

Somewhat Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date
Reviewed: May 6, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout the tick, tick, BOOM! page at theatreinchicago.com

At Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL,  call 773-327-5252, www.porchlightmusicaltheatre.org, Fridays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, special Friday, June 1 performance at 10 pm, running time is 95 minutes without intermission, through June 10, 2012

By Rebecca Lenkiewicz

Directed by Roger Smart

Produced by Shattered Globe Theatre 2.0

At Stage 773, Chicago

Overlapping story lines about the Suffragette Movement and a lesbian love affair fizzles

The potential of Her Naked Skin to be a powerful theatrical event get mired into a lesbian love affair story after an encouraging start. We meet a mixed class of British women in 1913 who are militant in their determination to win the vote and equal rights in Edwardian England. They march, protest and create social havoc designed to get their political agenda in the news to influence the British Parliament to give  women the right to vote. The focus of the early storyline is on Lady Celia Cain (Linda Reiter) and her group led by Florence Boorman (Melissa Riemer). They brake windows in order to get arrested and sent to Holloway Prison. There they go on hunger strikes to highlight their cause. We see how the British government force feeds food into their bodies to prevent any deaths.

While these events were dramatized, the suffragette story becomes a lesbian love affair as Lady Celia Cain, a middle aged wife and mother of five falls in love with a young seamstress, Eve Douglas (Shelia O’ Connor). Lady Cain’s powerful lawyer husband, William (Tim Newell) revert to drink as her becomes more and more alienated from his wife of many years.

After a promising start, Her Naked Skin becomes a slowly paced personal story revolving around Douglas and Cain. We don’t see enough of what happens to the Suffragette Movement as England gets into the Great War. We see that eventually Eve and Celia separate, that Celia never resolves her marriage problems, but we never know what happens to the women’s Movement?  We are never told that the Suffragettes did actually stop their actions to be patriotic Brits during the war and that the women won their rights in 1918.

I found Her Naked Skin to be 2o minutes too long and the blend of the two stories short-changed the suffragette’s  story.  Linda Reiter and Shelia O’ Connor gave excellent performances. The ensemble work by the large cast was fine.  Tim Newell had many terrific moments as the troubled husband. The production values, set design by Andrew Hildner with period perfect costumes by Lindsay Schmeling, served the production well.

Somewhat Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 4, 2012

Jeff Recommended

Fro more info checkout the Her Naked Skin page at theatreinchicago.com

At Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL, call 773-327-5252, www.shatteredglobe.org, tickets $18 – $34, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 3 & 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm, running time is 2 hours, 25 minutes with intermission, through June 3, 2012

By Eugene O’Neill

Directed by Robert Falls

At the Goodman Theatre, Chicago

“Honey, has the iceman come yet? “No, but he’s breathin’ real hard!” -famous vaudeville joke

Brilliant, stunning production of one of the finest American plays, The Iceman Cometh, is  a major triumph for the Goodman Theatre

In one of most engaging, often funny, poignantly powerful dramas – The Iceman Cometh – proves that Eugene O ‘Neill was the finest American playwright. His 1939, drink -infested drama that found optimism and pessimism coexisting in a state of  “hopeless hope,” is set in 1912 in  Harry Hope’s rooming house bar – a  place know as “the No Chance Saloon,” “the End of the Line Cafe ” and “the Bottom of the Sea Rathskeller!” Using an aptly dreary set (designed by Kevin Depinet) to show several views of the place, we find a group of drunken misfits thirsting for the arrival of  Hickey (Nathan Lane) – the charismatic traveling salesman whose raucous presence seems to ensure a good time by all as his drinks and cash flow freely.

Among the group of misfits who are hiding in a bottle referencing their personal pipe dreams are:  Joe Mott (John Douglas Thompson), a black man who once ran a casino; Ed Mosher (Larry Neuman, Jr.) a circus barker and Harry Hope’s brother-in-law; Harry Hope (Stephen Quimette) , the proprietor who has not stepped outside his establishment in 20 years. There is Chuck Morello (Marc Grapey), the day bartender who pipe dreams about marrying his girlfriend Cora (Kate  Arrington), herself a whore,  and moving to a farm in New Jersey. Willie Oban (John Hoogenakker) is the failed Harvard educated lawyer; while Piet Wetjoen (John Judd) is the disgraced Boer Comando who spares with British Captain Cecil Lewis (John Reeger) over the Boer War in South Africa. Jimmy Tomorrow (James harms) is the journalist who daily prepares  to ask for his job back. Hugo Kalmar (Lee Wilkof) is the anarchist publisher who awakes from a stooped to have a drink while shouting Movement slogans. Larry Slade (Brian Dennehy) is the cowardly ex-socialist movement activist anxiously awaiting his own death. He is joined by the youthful Don Parritt (Patrick Andrews) who seeks Larry’s friendship and his forgiveness. Rocky Pioggi (Salvatore Inzerillo) is the night bartender and pimp to Pearl (Tara Sissom) and Margie (Lee Stark).

All the above characters realize that there hopes are only pipe dreams as fear, complacency and inertia (laziness?) prevents them from taking action. They hide at the bottom of a whiskey bottle as they await the yearly visit from Hickey  to celebrate Harry’s birthday. They can almost taste Hickey’s drinks.

However, when Hickey arrives, his demeanor is subdued and his wise-cracking frivolity is devoid of jokes about his wife Evelyn’s trysts. Hickey is on the wagon and he is messianic in attempts to get each of his fellow pipe dreamers to actually do the things they always dream about.  But he secretly knows that they will fail and return to Harry’s. He believes that casting off their pipe dreams is the only path toward happiness for them. But throwing away one’s illusions is a daunting task  especially for the alcohol dependent ones.

As the play moves forth, we gradually realize that Hickey’s self-loathing and guilt for hurting his lovingly loyal and ultimately forgiving wife leads him to the ultimate act to rid her of further pain.

This totally engrossing drama looks at the destructiveness of alcohol;  political topics, particularly anarchism and socialism, as well as the inertia of disillusionment and despair. O’ Neill’s view of human behavior is driven by bitterness, envy and revenge that surly is demonstrated by the cynicism of the residents of Harry Hope’s establishment including the barkeeps.  The depth of humanity is vividly depicted through the truthful performances. Director Bob Falls’ well-paced production moves nicely yet it gave each character space to shine.  The supporting cast of mostly “A” list  Chicago actors each had their moments. John Hoggenacker, Larry Neuman, Jr. and James Harms were particularly effective. Brian Dennehy’s subdued Larry erupts periodically as he is hounded by both Hickey and Don.

But the play rests on the magnificent, nuanced and deeply emotional turns from Nathan Lane’ as Hickey. Lane’s long monologue confessional in the final act is masterfully performed. How Lane maintains the depth of guilt and self-loathing necessary for us to grasp and somewhat empathize with Hickey is a joy to witness. Nathan Lane gives the finest dramatic performance of his career as Hickey.

The Iceman Cometh is the theatrical event of 2012! The 4 hour, 45 minute production (with 3 intermissions) never sags and  never is anything but engaging.  Our visit to Harry Hope’s dive is deliciously populated  with a colorful assortment of  characters that out interest never wanes. Great writing, quirky characters, profound human traits all combine to make for grand theatre. The  Iceman Cometh is a “must see’  show for all serious theatre patrons.

Highly Recommended

Tom Williams

‘Talk Theatre in Chicago  podcast

Date Reviewed: May 3, 2012

Jeff Recommended

For more info checkout The Iceman Cometh page at theatreinchicago.com

At the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago, www.goodmantheatre.org, tickets $ 61 – $133, call 312-443-3800, Tuesday thru Saturdays at 7 pm, Thursdays, Saturdays & Sunday matinees at 1:30, running time is 4 hours, 45 minutes with 3 intermissions, through June 17, 2012.

Timon of Athens

Directed by Barbara Gaines

At Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Stunning staging and strong performances make Timon of Athens a winner

The trouble pay, Timon of Athens (1608), is now considered possibly co-authored with Thomas Middleton, has  a fresh, zesty treatment by director Barbara Gaines at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Led by famed British classical actor, Ian McDiarmid in the lead role, Timon is a fast-paced spectacle (terrific set design by Kevin Depinet) with outstanding lighting by Robert Wierzel featuring vivid video graphics by Mike Tuta. The production features a fine assortment of Chicago classical actors including Sean Fortunate (Flavius), William Dick (Jeweller), Timothy Edward Kane (Artist), Kevin Gudahl (Writer/Judge), David Lively (Sempronius) and James Newcomb as the cynical philosopher Apemantus.

Timon of Athens is cautionary morality tale about the seductive power of wealth set in the high-risk modern world of futures trading. Timon is an extremely wealthy man who is generous to all as he values friendship by sharing his wealth with all who enter his sphere. We witness Timon’s generosity at a banquet feast that finds the titan celebrating life by sharing his money with artist, poets, a servant, and a senator, among others.  Timon is a fine fellow who apparently is beloved by all.

But when the financial tides of monetary funds dries up, Timon, despite his warnings from Flavius, tries to collect money owed to him and he seeks loans from those who benefited from his benevolence. But his former friends become ruthless creditors leading to Timon’s financial ruin.No one will give Timon a cent.

This troubled play wonders in act two as we  find a delusional Timon pondering his plight on a sandy beach where he discovers gold bars hidden in the sand. He shares them with Alcibiades (nice work by Danforth Comins), the artist and the writer telling them to use them wisely. Timon also debates life with Apemantus who scorns the power of gold as does Timon.

When Flavius arrives to aid his former boss, Timon shows him the large stash of gold bars. Flavius, Timon realizes, is his only true friend.

This production features a vividly physical and verbally challenging work from Ian McDiarmid. He has many fine moments but I was constantly troubled by his much too quick speech patterns – which often lead to incoherent responses or retorts.  If only McDiarmid would slow down a beat or two, we’d appreciate his performance more once we understood all his his dialogue.  But there is much to admire in his work and his total performance was quite astounding. His command of the stage has the presence of a giant.

It is a joy to see a seldom produced Shakespeare work, such as Timon of Athens, so lively staged and so expertly acted. At only 2 hours, 15 minutes including intermission, it is s fine play to introduce folks to the wonders of The Barbs work.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast

Date Reviewed: May 2, 22012

For more info checkout the Timon of Athens page at theatreinchicago.com

At Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, call 312-595-5600, www.chicagoshakes.com, tickets $44 – $75,  Tuesdays thru  Fridays at 7:30, Saturdays at 3 & 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, Wednesday matinees at 1 pm, through June 10, 22012