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The Skin of Our Teeth
By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Brandon Bruce
Produced by Back Stage Theatre Company
At Chopin Theatre
1543 W. Division
Chicago, IL
Call 312-683-5347, tickets $15
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time 2 hrs, 45 min with w intermissions
Through April 2, 2006
The Skin of Our Teeth wobbles and self destructs
The ambitious Back Stage Theatre Company tried real hard to land the complex, over-written epic from Thornton Wilder. This play is so weird and so terrible that it defies a worthy production. Many a theatre company has tried in vain to make something out of this extreme satirical farce that is so convoluted that trying to make sense of this play is almost impossible.
Back Stage Theatre’s production will either dazzle you or be one of the worst theatre experiences imaginable. The sheer energy and style will impress you but the inability of us to connect with the key characters leaves this overly long play as a noisy loud waste of time. I couldn’t wait for this play to end.
The material isn’t Wilder’s best and the squeaky voiced Rebekah Ward-Hays as Sabina, the key narrator, spoke so fast that her pitch became so high that I simply became irritated rather than empathize with her and the Antrobus family. The mainly over-the-top performances were corny producing hardly any laughs.
With three acts so different in style tone and pace, this show collapses with its own weight. The best part of the show was the trio of singers who landed a nice medley of 20’ & 30’s show tunes. I’d much rather stayed in the lobby listening to the Broadway songs.
The message of the satire and the farce becomes muddled by the flat jokes, bits and business that fizzled due to the over playing by the ensemble. Act three became a boring melodrama.
I do appreciate the efforts of the cast but the material was beyond them. I’m not sure anyone could deliver a satisfying production of this play. As presented, this production was more corny, hackneyed and gross than stylish biting satire. Maybe a shorter version with a clearer focus and style would make this tedious work more enjoyable? I believe this show belongs in the archives.
Not Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed March 10, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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