By Jay Presson Allen Adapted from the Novel by Muriel Spark Directed by Ronan Marra Produced by Signal Ensemble Theatre At Chopin Theatre Patricia Austin is fabulous as Jean Brodie “I was quite strongly influenced by a teacher. . .a Miss Jean Brodie in her prime”— Sister Helena, in response to a question about some … Read more
Sheridan was trying to poke fun at the ridiculous behavior of the upper class English and Polarity’s amateurish production turns this classic into a wildly over acted manic parody that is more clown-like vaudeville that satirical comedy.
Playwright Iizuka’s new play, Ghostwritten, commissioned by the Goodman Theatre, is a drama about the lingering debt, complex family ties told with mystical elements including magical food.
This is a ninety minute play that takes place during the Hurricane Katrina period of time, following a young girl’s journey during the storm that shares her name.
Pumpgirl by Irish playwright Abbie Spallen, is an edgy contemporary work of Irish storytelling. Pumpgirl is presented in intersecting monologues deftly spoken with authentic Irish brogues by the three person cast.
Few in the audience laughed, most were uncomfortable. The script was so full of forced double meaning—always sexual and the dialogue contained extremely strained potty talk that initially wasn’t funny and quickly became tedious.
The Saturday Morning Movie Club is playwright Dan Filowitz’s take on the 30something’s relationship problems. Jonah (Whitney Derendinger) is a detail-oriented guy who resists change in his life. Routine rules his life as he has days for Chinese food with his moved-in girlfriend Sarah (Nora Best) and Saturdays are for a meeting of the Saturday Morning Movie Club hosted by Jonah with his long-time pals Drew (Adam Miller-Batteau) and Greg (Glenn Fancher)
First Folio Theatre in Oak Brook continues mounting outstanding theatre and their latest is a most worthy mounting of Eugene O’Neill’s A Moon for the Misbegotten. The intimacy of First Folio’s indoor stage (nice set by Angela Miller) at the Mayslake Peabody Estate serves the production well. A Moon for the Misbegotten is the story of Josie Hogan (Erin Noel Grennan in a tremendous performance)—an ungainly daughter of an impoverished sharecropper whose love for alcoholic Jim Tyrone (Christian Gray in his finest performance to date) comes to ahead one long summer night.
By Marisa Wegrzyn Directed by Brian Golden Produced by Theatre Seven of Chicago At the Greenhouse Theater I didn’t see the initial 2007 run of Marisa Wegrzyn’s terrific one-act, Diversey Harbor. I heard it was excellent so I made sure I caught Theatre Seven of Chicago’s remount now playing at the Greenhouse Theater. It is … Read more
5th Floor productions offers a funny off-night (Monday & Tuesday) comedy that dares to deal with how our profession defines us as a person. The three—Annalise (Eva Gil) is a geographer; Dave (Max Lesser) is a Court Reporter-stenographer; Margaret (Sarah Kinsey) is typographer—exploration of the idiosyncrasies of their jobs in a quite funny and truthful comedy. These three actors gave honest, heartwarming performances.