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Fool For Love
By Sam Shepard
Directed by Ronan Marra
Produced by Signal Ensemble Theatre
At Chopin Studio Theatre
1543 W. Division
Chicago, IL
Call 773-347-1350, tickets $15 - $20
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Special performance Monday, August 27 at 8 pm
Running time is 60 minutes with no intermission
Through September 2, 2007
“Anybody who doesn't half kill themselves falling off horses or jumping on steers is a twerp in your book.” –May to Eddie from Fool For Love
Riveting dysfunctional erotic story soars
Signal Ensemble’s Ronan Marra has tightly mounted Sam Shepard’s 1983 drama, Fool For Love, into a riveting and emotionally draining play that grabs you and never lets go. Aaron Snook is effective as the crazed stuntman, Eddie, who drives from Montana to the edge of the Mojave Dessert to a seedy motel (terrific set design by Melania Lancy) to reunite with his long love May, played with strong sensuality by Simone Roos. Fool For Love is about sexual desperation and an obsessive love-hate relationship. Both Eddie and May have an animal-like sensuality as they each rotate from sexual urges to hateful rejection. They fight, charm and display their feelings in a rollercoaster of emotions.
This tight one hour drama is filled with revelations of the bonds that unite these two. In a unique surrealistic Shepard touch, the Old Man (Tom Lally) sits in a corner in a rocking chair. He comments on Eddie’s story of their involvement. Martin (Ehren Fournier) is the dim-witted date for May who becomes the designated listener for Eddie and May’s versions of the story of their past. The Old Man comments and adds his perspective of the past. The cycle of abandonment and yearning reveals little solace with each reconciliation. Pain from the past dominates.
Shepard’s script comes alive and is faithfully performed by Aaron Snook who is a tad too young as the over-the-hill stuntman but Snook reaches the emotional depth to give Eddie the angst to be believable. He runs from charming to scary. Simone Roos delivers May’s self-loathing and indecision as she moves from lust for Eddie to pure hatred. Snook and Roos deliver wrenching performances worthy of Shepard’s gritty realism. Julie E. Ballard’s lighting highlighted the action. When Eddie slams the door for the last time, we realize that it’s sound indicates a resolution to the reconciliation. I enjoy this well produced drama. Signal Ensemble continues to offer stage worthy shows.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007
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