Playwright Kathleen Akerley’s script features writing that is filled with excellent mystical storytelling told in vivid language as well as whimsical and wryly speeches that bring out the quirkiness of the characters. Akerley’s plot keeps the mystery suspense mounting throughout. With death as a character and myth of the nature of life itself, Theories of the Sun is both an ‘idea play’ and a mystery on the nature of aging and life itself.
The story focuses on the perspective of two Chicagoland families, a black family living in Cabrini Green and a white suburban family living in Lake Forest. The daughter, Sam (Stephanie Stroud,) from Lake Forest is now living in Chicago’s wealthiest neighborhood, Gold Coast, and working for the Chicago Tribune (a job her politician father got her.) Sam is a bleeding-heart liberal filled with white guilt and determined to make a difference with her stories.
We meet two sets of lovers: Claudio (Aaron Kirby in a charming turn) and the beautiful Hero (Jessica Record) and the commanding Beatrice (Meg Elliott) and her picture-taking lover Benedick (the emotionally wrenching Ned Record). Claudio/Hero are aggressively in love while Beatrice and Benedick are engaged in a “love/hate merry war” that finds each scorning love, marriage and each other.
After one of his boxing lessons, Billy is left alone in the gymnasium, in which a ballet class shortly follows. It is here where we learn that Billy’s secret dream is to be a dancer. Nurtured by the tough but caring ballet instructor Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy realizes his true potential, when he is primed for an audition at the Royal Ballet. Upon discovering this, Billy’s father is enraged that his son would take to such an effeminate hobby, and pulls Billy from any further lessons.
Emmy, played with delicious verve by Zoe Levin, is a sex pistol. Wise – or seemingly wise beyond her years – hers is the voice of experience, determined to lead her friend astray. Rae Gray presents a Claire that is perfect as the shy, insecure, young friend, only too willing to follow. Both girls exemplify youth, beauty, inexperience, and a touching bravado.
Seeing a seldom mounted two part early work from famed Irish playwright Brian Friel is a fine way to start off the fall theatre season in Chicago. Director Terry McCabe has cast well for this two part work….Lovers is a fine early Friel work that aptly depicts Northern Ireland in the 1960’s where family and religion dominated society. We love these characters.
We get a glimpse into the lonely characters’ lives whose need to be heard and connect with one another is fueled by the drink. When Finbar brings Valerie to the pub, she becomes the center of attention. At Finbar’s instigation, Jack starts telling a ghost story from 1911. This is the first of several wonderfully scary Irish ghost stories deftly told first by the engagingly skillful talents from Brad Armacost–who is Chicago leading Irish actor.
Performed by the Babes with Blades, an all female “combat” theatre group, The Last Daughter of Oedipus is served well by this “no nonsense” cast of women. (They are two men in this show, but relatively inconsequential) “The Babes” handle swords, and kick-ass with the best of them. The acting isn’t bad either…a great ensemble for this script.
This play has much to say. These over educated, egotistical teens have too much time (and money) on their hands. The play centers on an actual weekend event when this group of pure Romantics challenged each other to a game of who could write the scariest horror or ghost story. It is on this weekend that Mary Shelley conceived her Frankenstein novel.
Review by Peter Oyloe Late Summer evenings are some of those most special of things, the air giving up the humidity of the season and in return floating your memories of the last few months across your minds eye in a cooling breeze that comes with the lengthening of the evening. It is a time … Read more