…when the Mexicans are treated like “background” fodder by the American couple, the Mexicans concoct a ridiculous plan to kidnap the couple to force a confrontation. I wish that this premise would be a tad clearer early on in the play so audiences will “buy into” the premise. But the bumbling kidnappers and the quirky captives embark on a hilarious journey as each struggles to come to terms with their stereotypical views of both Americans and Mexicans.
Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit brought his two-week engagement with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra off to an auspicious start Thursday night with a highly compelling presentation of music by Britten, William Walton, and Beethoven. The conductor coaxed the very best out of this formidable ensemble, ensuring, with the help of a comparably impressive solo contribution from violinist Gil Shaham, that this would not be just another routine night at the symphony.
Played for humor, I found Jack Or the Submission to be an over-the-top affair filled with screaming and shouting and cartoonish movements.
The program was billed as “Three B’s… With a Twist”; the “twist” was a partial change, with two of the so-called Three B’s of Classical Music, Bach and Brahms, replaced by Boccherini and Bartok, but the third, Beethoven, left intact. The quartet gave a remarkable performance in this first installment of its three-part series this season in the Logan Center, even if I, for one, was not entirely impressed by the “revision of the Three B’s.”
O’ Neill’s family tragedy that features the Tyrone’s, a family in despair as they seem to be doomed and trapped in their dark past where fears, addictions and habits dominate the present. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is set in 1912 in the Tyrone summer home in New London, Connecticut. This most autobiographical play deals with the nature of family love where each person loves more than hates the other family members
Letts’ Superior Donuts demonstrates Letts’ keen ability to write dialogue capturing the unique voice of each of his rich characters. After 25 years living in Chicago, Tracy Letts claims he is a true Chicagoan. Superior Donuts is his ode to the melting pot ethnic neighborhood of Chicago’s Uptown….
Issues about self determined euthanasia for one suffering great pain with cancer as well as a spouse willfully deciding that she can’t live without her dying spouse therefore willing to die with him is presented. Does anyone have the moral right to end one’s life to relieve pain? And can a rational spouse morally decide to join her terminal spouse despite her being in good health.
Her’s back–yes Hershey Felder will be back here in Skokie soon.
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