A Musical Thriller Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Hugh Wheeler Directed and Choreographed by Rachel Rockwell Music Direction by Roberta Duchak Killer performances in musical thriller If ever a play deserved a wildly enthusiastic standing ovation, it was the mesmerizing opening night production of Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane. For a moment, … Read more
There was little comedic timing in evidence and the script was to convoluted that the cast seemed to be pushing hard to garner any possible humor. At the performance I attended, there was little laughter. Hobo Junction’s brand of humor rings flat here.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more articulate production filled with deep-seeded emotions and long-fuming resentment with powerful charismatic turns fuels Idle Muse Theatre’s expert production of Goldman’s gem. You’ll be easily engaged and totally intrigued by these flawed yet human characters as they struggle for power and personal recognition. Kudos to the cast for offering such fine performances. See this play to experience the craftsmanship of Chicago storefront theatre.
While I support theatre troupes who take chances and try to stretch things theatrically, they must keep in mind that there must be at least a thread of coherence in their production. These show tried to do too much. If you can get the audience to relate and/or like the characters, they’ll follow you wherever you want – but-both shows failed to to reach the audience.
… We Live Here’s “quintessential Chicago moments” range from poignant, to sad, to hauntingly moving, to hilariously human, to emotionally desperate. Each playwright’s semi-autobiographical story is handled exquisitely by a cast that fully humanizes the honesty of each tale.
Side Man is a hauntingly raw yet beautiful memory play that colorfully offers a glimpse into the world of the fanatic artist. It also dramatize the effects of shattered dreams and lack of ambition on a family. Dan Meismer and Jeremy Clark anchor the stellar cast of misfits and fanatics. The jazz riffs add authenticity to the production. This marvelous play is one of the best works mounted in Chicago this year!
…the assertion that women during the High-Renaissance in the Italian town of San Gimignano were schooled in sword fighting was given as fact. Did women actually sword fight? I doubt that. This two hour + play is billed as a comedy but with few laughs and too much hokey attempts at commedia dell’arte by David Servillo’s Jacopo and Amy Dellagiarino’s Lucrezia.
Kevin V. Smith directs this deftly, unapologetically and in search of a new paradigm for what is considered acceptable theatre in America. This is theatre that asks of the audience, that wills participation and thought. It will turn some people off because it is not easy, it is not straightforward, it is not simply entertainment. But for those who crave more from their theatrical experiences than two hours of escapism, this is utterly refreshing.
While I found the work of the entire cast as energetic, innovative, and stylish, I found the storytelling confusing, muddled, and incomplete. Too much movement, too many scene changes, and many story overlaps marred the production. Both playwright Jason Grote and director Seth Bockley tried to do too much both visually, stylistically, and verbally. Too much of any ingredient can spoil the stew
Henry V is such a magnificent play. My god, it’s epic, isn’t it? Some of Shakespeare’s best-penned lines are contained within. Half the play is deathless speeches. Speeches that, when all is ruin and ash and the world of men has forever sunk into the deep annals of time, shall yet be recited and remembered as the glory of man and some of his finest jewels.