MUST SEE

These are Chicago Critics Must See shows. If you are only going to see one show let us recommend one of these great pieces of true Art!

MUST SEEREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

The School for Lies

Playwright David Ives sure knows how to take the 17th Century classic French farce, The Misanthrope, and bring it up to date from 1666 to modern times by using a mixture of rhyming couplets. Ives blends Moliere’s wordy comedy of manners style with contemporary colloquialisms with casual vulgarity and scatological humor that could offend some. Yet, the zaniness of the classic characters together with the witty couplets played for extreme comic effect, makes for a belly laughing theatrical feast.

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MUST SEEOperaREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTom Williams

Hansel und Gretel

Hansel und Gretel is filled with charming melodic music that contains gentleness, sweetness, as well as dark motifs. Humperdinck used German folk elements together with original folk tunes to flavor his opera. The score demand much vocal dexterity and Kanyotova and DeShong delightfully have that element in their fine performance. I was thrilled by the darkly comic work by Jill Grove as the manic witch. Brian Williams’ father was also appreciated.

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MUST SEEREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

You Never Can Tell

The cast is filled with fine performances. Gregg Matthew Anderson and Eliza Stoughton square off in a searing battle of the sexes while Dale Benson is the calming voice of wisdom as the waiter. Benson, always a Chicago treasure, is hilarious as usual in a larger role that he delivers with verve and class. Elaine Rivkin is the strong-will mother and Alex Weisman and C. Jay Miller are precious as the young siblings.

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