Chicago Theatre Reviews Archive

To Master the Art

September 17, 2017November 1, 2010 by Tom Williams

I’m happy to report that Craig Spidle plays Paul with a sincere admiration and tolerance for Julia. Spidle, one of Chicago’s best actors, has a nice mixture of subtle humor and genuine love for Julia. Karen Janes Woditsch has the shrill voiced Julia down as she combines Julia’s self-deprecating humor and physical gawkiness with her dogged determination and passion for cooking. W0ditsch shows us Julia’s charm, wit and drive. The chemistry between Spidle and Woditsch is enchanting.

Peter Pan (a Play)

September 17, 2017November 1, 2010 by Tom Williams

While playfully dark and aptly using aerial arts with child-like humor, this adult Peter Pan is filled with action, simultaneous sensations of amazement, fear and nightmares. Peter Pan is a hollow fellow who doesn’t fully make the case for his credo: “I’ll never grow up.” There is sexual tension from Wendy that confuses Peter Pan that never gets resolved.

The War Plays

September 17, 2017October 31, 2010 by Tom Williams

All three stories had their moments of nostalgia and cuteness but the devil is in the details and these were lacking. If your going to do an era specific play, please use accurate accents, places, uniforms, etc. The only accurate item was the dresses and hair styles of the women.

The all around experience of this cute, somewhat entertaining piece makes for a mildly worthy night at the theatre. Younger theatre patrons will not be so bothered with the details as I am.

In The Jungle of Cities

October 22, 2022October 30, 2010 by Tom Williams

Bretolt Brecht’s early work, In The Jungle of Cities. Under the imaginative staging by director Max Truax, Brecht’s 1927 drama is his statement about his warped views of America told through an eleven round symbolic boxing match. Brecht, a lifelong Marxist, depicted Chicago in 1912 as a worker exploiting, violence and bribery riddled place that he found from newsreels and books in Germany.

Stalk

October 23, 2022October 29, 2010 by Tom Williams

Stalk is a concoction of a dysfunctional family drama that finds Jack (Jordan Phelps) being beaten by his cruel, unloving gather, Gregory (Scott Danielson) while is zombie-like pill-popping mother, Lily (Meghan Phillipp) announces that she no longer loves her son. The early scenes are filled with foul language including the F-word–so between the language and the violence, Stalk definitely isn’t a family or children’s show.

The Four of Us

October 22, 2022October 28, 2010 by Tom Williams

The Four of Us is a cleverly staged work by director Jeremy Wechsler that swiftly moves back and forth in time to tell how David (Usman Ally) and Benjamen’s (Collin Geraghty) relationship developed and how success can alter that friendship.

The Seagull

October 27, 2010 by Tom Williams

In a change of style, director Robert Falls has opted for a minimalist actor centered production of The Seagull based on two years of meticulous research. His cast, a group of “A” list Equity actors, have had a long, discovery oriented Eastern European repertory company environment in which to absorb the nuances of their characters with a focus on the methods of Konstantin Stanislavsky.

CLICK CLACK MOO: COWS THAT TYPE

December 30, 2010October 26, 2010 by Luke Heiden

If you’re looking for a way to introduce your young child(ren) to more live theatre without the show title starting with “Walt Disney presents…”, I implore you to look no further than Lifeline Theatre’s inventive and winning re-mount musical production of Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type

K.

October 22, 2022October 26, 2010 by Tom Williams

Brennan Buhl, as K., is the instantly lovable guy who tries charm, cooperation and peaceful resistance to deal with his trouble.

Act one finds doors slamming and mobile doors racing K. into a strange navigation through offices, lawyers, artists, priests, lovers, and whippers to determine his fate.

Choose Thine Own Adventure

October 22, 2022October 25, 2010 by Tom Williams

The Filament Theatre Ensemble ambitious group has found a way to appeal to Shakespeare nerds, beer drinking rowdies and lovers of hilarious live comedy. The show is, indeed, authentic Shakespeare that allows the audience to determine the endings and/or the direction of the show. The cast adapts instantly to the demands of the ground-lings.