We are enticed by Theis’ sly performance as Richard even when he outlines his evil plan in a monologue that gets us to almost like this charming but purely evil villain. His asides to the audiences with their wink and sour faces keep us intoxicated with Richard’s manipulations leading to killings that lead to his ascending to the English crown
Fitzpatrick carries on from the influence of Studs Terkel as he chronicles today’s world through anecdotal memories and characterizations of influential folks from his past including his father.
The cast, sporting authentic English accents, featured extremely articulate use of Saunders’ language that quite effectively delivered the wit, satire, and truthfulness in respect to the playwrights script. Seldom to you see such outstanding ensemble work as rendered here.
Salt of the Earth is a 1988 play about the English towns of Upton and South Kirby in Yorkshire from 1947-1988. It covers two sisters both married to coal miners. Annie (Suzanne Miller) marries Roy (Joshua Katzker) who is bent on leaving mining for a better job
Set in the Celtic Tiger boom in Ireland, Deirdre Kinahan’s Moment is a tightly drawn kitchen-sink family drama that finds a family reunion of sorts turning into dramatic confrontation where old wounds are rubbed. Setting down to tea, the Lynch’s welcome their estranged son, Nail (Josh Odor) to the family’s Dublin home.
Even more amazing than seeing four characters enact 140 parts, is realizing just how brilliantly they accomplish this Herculean task. In actuality, Peter Simon Hilton plays only one part — but it is a biggie, demanding his consummate acting skill
The setting, first in a prison, then in gangland LA is vividly depicted (fine set by Kevin Depinet with lighting by Jesse Klug). The Oedipus myth that finds the son killing his father and marrying his mother (all while being unaware of what he has done) is wonderfully staged and well acted.
Kudos to the newly formed Chicago Commercial Collective for remounting A Steady Rain. The Collective is dedicated to remounting shows that closed too soon. They are badly need here since many a hit show was forced to close too soon. Welcome! Police Superintendent Gary McCarthy should see this show then he’ll want all his supervisors to see it so they can become more aware of rogue cops.
When Chicagoan Yolanda (the terrific Marketta P. Wilder) is sent down South after her brother is gunned down, she finds strength from the tales of the five wise women who surround her. The power of learning old-time rituals symbolized by the pride in their hats eventually dazzles Yolanda
But, her rambling for over 2 hours without saying much and her going into the audience and allowing 4-5 people to sing Wicked or Rent tunes turned he concert into a crude karaoke show. This lasted about 20 minutes.