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Apple
By Vern Thiessen
Directed by Joe Jahraus
At Profiles Theatre
4147 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL
Call 773-549-1815, tickets $20 - $25
Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 7 pm
Running time is 80 minutes with no intermission
Through June 3, 2007
Apple is a tensely haunting drama
Profiles Theatre finds edgy, sexually heightened shows to perform in their intimate storefront theatre. These shows feature naturalistic and brave acting. Darrel W. Cox and director Joe Jahraus seem to find talented new females for Darrell Cox to play off. With Canadian playwright Vern Thiessen’s tightly written Apple, Darrell Cox has finds love from a mysteriously vivacious woman, Samantha (the striking Brady Fuqua) after he looses his job and emotionally moves away from his cold wife, Evelyn (the capable Amy Matheny).
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Apple is part love story and part sensual romp and part character study as it deals with infidelity, secrets and second chances. Mixing sex and fatal disease is risky but Thiessen makes it work as we see Cox’s character, Andy, move from a weak guy into an understanding and compassionate soul when sickness overtakes his wife. Brady Fuqua is enchanting as the perplexing and enticing free love interest. Apple emerges as 80 minutes of subtly where each character comes to terms with themselves in the face of crisis.
Apple has an unusual twist and a cello player (William Jason Raynovich) offering music to accentuate the mood and atmosphere of the piece. This moving play is worth a visit. Cox and Fuqua are terrific.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2007
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