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Ultimate Aphrodisiac
By Greg McCain
Produced by Cascando Theater
At Heartland Studio’s Boho Theatre
7016 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL
Tickets: www.cascandotheater.org, $15
Thur-Sat at at 7:30 p.m.; Sun at 3:30 p.m.
Running time is 75 minutes with no intermission
Through Sept. 28th
Repressed Memories and Guilt
Greg McCain’s new play, Ultimate Aphrodisiac, now in its world premiere at Heartland Studio’s Boho Theatre has its moments. Henry (Ed Kuffert) and Sheila (Rachel Martindale) are a bit like a shadow universe incarnation of Albee’s George and Martha in Virgina Woolf. They are world class mean-spirited, but their memories are repressed to the point that they no longer know why they torment each other. Their marriage is at least as unhappy as the more famous pair’s and to top it off, they have Henry’s mom (Barb Anderson) to help them dredge up the guilt that is in fact the glue that keeps the tortured couple together.
Unfortunately, the moments that spark are too brief and too sparse to sustain the tension that is the play’s raison d’être. Ultimate Aphrodisiac is filled with contradictions that keep the vitriolic banter interesting – for a while – but the hot spots are surrounded by a dose of lifeless clichés that is unable to cement the plot. Director Adam Herndon’s staging of the action is uninspired and very little effort was put into the set or technical support in the tiny studio space. If you happen to be in Rogers Park looking for an outing with friends, this show might do anyway. It only runs 75 minutes and you’ll be able to chat for an hour or more afterward over dinner and a drink about what you think actually happened. The cast is actually quite good, so depending on what you are looking for, don’t totally rule it out.
SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED
Randy Hardwick
randyontheglobe@yahoo.com for comments
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2008
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