REVIEWS BY

REVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Her Naked Skin

After a promising start, Her Naked Skin becomes a slowly paced personal story revolving around Douglas and Cain. We don’t see enough of what happens to the Suffragette Movement as England gets into the Great War. We see that eventually Eve and Celia separate, that Celia never resolves her marriage problems, but we never know what happens to the women’s Movement? We are never told that the Suffragettes did actually stop their actions to be patriotic Brits during the war and that the women won their rights in 1918.

Read More
MUST SEEREVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

The Iceman Cometh

This totally engrossing looks at the destructiveness of alcohol, political topics, particularly anarchism and socialism, as well as the inertia of disillusionment and despair. O’ Neill’s view of human behavior is driven by bitterness, envy and revenge that surly is demonstrated by the cynicism of the residents of Harry Hope’s establishment including the barkeeps. The depth of humanity is vividly depicted by director Bob Falls’ well-paced production. The supporting cast of mostly “A” list Chicago actors each had their moments. John Hoggenacker, Larry Neuman, Jr. and James Harms were particularly effective. Brian Dennehy’s subdued Larry erupts periodically as he is hounded by both Hickey and Don.. But the play rests on the magnificent, nuanced and deeply emotional turns from Nathan Lane’s Hickey

Read More
REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Timon of Athens

Timon of Athens is cautionary morality tale about the seductive power of wealth set in the high-risk modern world of futures trading. Timon is an extremely wealthy man who is generous to all as he values friendship by sharing his wealth with all who enter his sphere. We witness Timon’s generosity at a banquet feast that finds the titan celebrating life by sharing his money with artist, poets, a servant, and a senator, among others. Timon is a fine fellow who apparently is beloved by all.

Read More
REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

In a Forest, Dark and Deep

We learn that Bobby is a crude, ignorant wife-beating slob who dislikes his sister. We see Betty as a college dean and aging married with children beauty who has a past enlivened with much promiscuity. Betty’s sexual encounters still haunt her. As the two siblings rant at one another gradually Bobby gets to the truth of why he is helping his sister clear out a cabin late night during a thunder storm. The cabin is full of lies as nothing is as it seems and the truth refuses to be discarded with all the books.

Read More
REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Rise of the Numberless

Formatted as a play-within-a play, the cast members are both participants as Numberless and sympathizers with them. The plot is cliched, trite and predictable – a contemporary “Mad Max” style rock fantasy. The players are manic, hyper sensitive and over-the-top; the singing consists of screaming and mind-numbing garbled harmonies. I’m can’t find anything artistic or stage worthy to justify spending $20 -$25 and 90 minutes of your time attending Rise of the Numberless

Read More
REVIEWSREVIEWS BYTheatre ReviewsTom Williams

Sixty Miles to Silver Lake

The two are alienated by a bitter divorce that finds Denny only spending weekends with his dad, Ky. On their sixty mile journey from Denny’s soccer game to Ky’s home, the two awkwardly try to communicate but bitterness and teenage angst get in the way. Denny resents his father who tries, fumbles actually, to relate to his son. Ky is totally out of touch with Denny and the more he tries, the more resistant and awkward Denny feels. There are many funny and poignant moments filled with natural dialogue that gets us to hope that Ky will somehow relate to young Denny.

Read More