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On The Verge
(Or The Geography of Yearning)
By Eric Overmyer
Directed James Bohnen
Produced by Remy Bumppo think theatre
At Victory Gardens Greenhouse
2257 N. Lincoln
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-3000, tickets $35 - $40
Wednesdays thur Fridays at 7:30 pm
Saturdays at 4 & 7:30 pm
Sundays at 2:30 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 15 minutes with intermission
Through June 1, 2008
Quirky, smart, vociferous comedy is intoxicating.
Remy Bumppo think theatre, on the heals of their terrific “Bronte,” offer another Victorian era women’s play—“On the Verge” by wordsmith Eric Overmyer at Victory Gardens Greenhouse in a short run. This is an enticing and funny comedy containing some ambitious dialogue. This imaginative work features three Victorian women in 1888 determined to see the wonders of the world by traveling alone to Terri Incognita. Their independence and enthusiasm is smartly exemplified through playwright Overmyer’s intelligent use of language. We hear puns, alliterations, onomatopoeia, assonance and wordplay from the three lovable and adventurous ladies. Once we tune in to the play’s language, we are delighted by the wit and humor contained. There are many laughs here.
Overmyer use the metaphor of Victorian women traveling the world to explore the limits of language and the clash of cultures. We experience the gentleness and grit of these women as well as their misunderstanding of the places and cultures they encounter. Once the women realize that they are adrift in time, the fun and wit ensues. We see them in a hilarious adaptation of the future as they deal with mid 20th Century pop culture. They have optimism toward change and adventure. The breakdown in communication happens as they deal with the slang of the new era they find themselves in. The result is a brazen and telling struggle to deal with the challenges of modern times. Their archaic romanticism clashes with the bad language of the rock ‘n roll era. Their linguistic challenges offer rich comedic fuel.
Susan Shunk (Mary), Rachel Sondag (Fanny) and Liza Fernandez (Alex) are terrific as the energetic and independent women. They take turns articulating Overmyer’s complicated language to paint vivid portraits of the lands and people they explore. Greg Matthew Anderson, playing various characters—most notable as Nicky Paradise, offers a wide ranging and expert performance. We Anderson’s comic side as he emerges as the ladies conduit to the future. 1955 becomes the anchor time in the women’s exploration of the future. We see them learn to adjust to the pop culture of the ‘50’s. Only one of the three women decides to keep moving into the future. The trip these women take into the future is filled with wacky comedy and physical symbols as well as clever use of language. I was captivated with their adventure.
I enjoyed this cute show. Eric Overmyer is referred to as one of the “new language playwrights.” His “On the Verge” is a good time piece of theatre that is well performed.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2008
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