Chicago Critic

Adapted by David Bareford

The Last of the Dragons

Based on the fantasy story by Edith Nesbit

Music by Mikhail Hamman

Lyric by Mikhail Fiksel, Kyle Hamman & Alex balestrieri

Directed by Dorothy Milne

At Lifeline Theatre

Cute children’s musical easily wins kids

Lifeline Theatre has a strong reputation for mounting an effective assortment of kids theatre. My first encounter with their children’s fare was The Last of the Dragons adapted by David Bareford from Edith Nesbit’s fantasy story. This 55 minute cute little musical is charming with a worthy moral and it sure plays well with children 5 years and up.

Mikhail Fiksel’s score is a pop/rock affair long on sweetness despite being sung with weak voices, especially from Scott Allen Luke and Anne Sears.  Dragon’s tell the story of a king bent on utilizing tradition to both expand his kingdom and get his daughter married to a prince from another larger country. The Princes (Anne Sears) is a butch type girl better at sword fighting than lady-like endeavors.  The Prince, Stanley (Scott Allen Luke) is a nerdy book-worm inventor who has little sword training making him unable to slay the dragon as part of the marriage ritual that would unite the two kingdoms.

The story plays out quickly  as we easily empathize with the two marriage types bent on living their traditions–assuming each can actually love their proposed mates.  This charming show is easy to digest and nicely paced. The kids in the audience seem to enjoy the show and that is all that counts here. I now realize how excellent Lifeline Theatre’s kids show are. Consider adding them to the shows you take your kids or grand kids to–they’ll thank you for it.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Date Reviewed: January 9, 2010

The show is affordable as well in that tickets are a mere $12 (children and adults) and the performances are Saturdays at 1 p.m., Sundays at 11 am and 1 p.m.  Lifeline Theatre is located in Rogers Park at 6912 N. Glenwood with street parking available and you can also park at the lot at the corner of Morse and Ravenswood with shuttle service to the theater and back to your car.  To order tickets, and I strongly suggest you do so quickly as the theater is small, call 773-761-4477