Author: Tom Williams

REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Mary Poppins at Paramount Theatre

Mary Poppins has all the elements of a GREAT musical: excellent book based on P.L Travers’ children’s Mary Poppins books. Terrific catchy tunes—“Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Feed the Birds,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Anything Can Happen” with music in the style of early 20th Century British music halls, melodic marches and anthems; fantastic staging with vivid lighting on terrific sets; spectacular show-stopping dances and thrilling flying scenes that include Matt Crowle (as Bert) tap dancing and spinning around in the showstopping “Step In Time”.

Read More
Theatre Reviews

I and You

Well, there’s a twist in the last two minutes, but for most of this eighty-five minute production that’s what we’re watching. The company’s website contains links to some messages from director David Prete to playwright Lauren Gunderson discussing how to justify this ordeal. They say the play is about the sharing of wisdom, how we’re all unified and have lots to teach each other, and can therefore face death more easily. It’s earnest and ambitious, but I can’t say I got that out of it.

Read More
Theatre Reviews

Shining City

The centerpiece of the play is a lengthy monologue from John about what exactly was the cause of his marital strife. Armacost was amazing in this scene; he told the story as if he were reliving it. At every step I understood exactly what John was feeling, even as he acknowledged behaving wrong or foolishly. Goss is a very good listener, which is a more difficult skill than you might think even during a performance as strong as Armacost’s

Read More
Theatre Reviews

Desperate Dolls

Desperate Dolls is a poorly considered script and production now playing in Strawdog’s side theatre. While watching one of what was supposed to be many gripping scenes of violence and confusion, I was distanced enough to think to myself “this is an unpleasant experience.” A note from the artistic director says this script is meant to honor B-movies and Italian slashers by creating a stage equivalent. Therefore, I will assume the stilted dialogue and cardboard acting was deliberate and say no more about it.

Read More
REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Hot Georgia Sunday

It is difficult to tell a memory story from monologues from the six characters but with playwright Catherine Trieschman’s down-home dialogue, she succeeds. We meet a group of white trash small town folks who are both sexually charged and stupid as a bag of rocks. Th laughs emerge from the wacky monologues as each participant recalls the events from a scorching hot summer Sunday in rural Georgia

Read More
REVIEWSTheatre Reviews

Lookingglass Alice-2014

Since the production has played many times over the past decade, many Chicagoans have already seen it. They will be glad to know it is still fresh. If like me, you had not seen Lookingglass Alice before, it is not to be missed. It is an amazing piece of spectacle, but still carries some delightful character moments. Families with older children will remember it for years, and may make a tradition of it depending on how many more times it gets revived. People I knew who had seen it many times before are still amazed by it. It’s truly fun for everyone.

Read More