Set in the Celtic Tiger boom in Ireland, Deirdre Kinahan’s Moment is a tightly drawn kitchen-sink family drama that finds a family reunion of sorts turning into dramatic confrontation where old wounds are rubbed. Setting down to tea, the Lynch’s welcome their estranged son, Nail (Josh Odor) to the family’s Dublin home.
Even more amazing than seeing four characters enact 140 parts, is realizing just how brilliantly they accomplish this Herculean task. In actuality, Peter Simon Hilton plays only one part — but it is a biggie, demanding his consummate acting skill
The setting, first in a prison, then in gangland LA is vividly depicted (fine set by Kevin Depinet with lighting by Jesse Klug). The Oedipus myth that finds the son killing his father and marrying his mother (all while being unaware of what he has done) is wonderfully staged and well acted.
Kudos to the newly formed Chicago Commercial Collective for remounting A Steady Rain. The Collective is dedicated to remounting shows that closed too soon. They are badly need here since many a hit show was forced to close too soon. Welcome! Police Superintendent Gary McCarthy should see this show then he’ll want all his supervisors to see it so they can become more aware of rogue cops.
When Chicagoan Yolanda (the terrific Marketta P. Wilder) is sent down South after her brother is gunned down, she finds strength from the tales of the five wise women who surround her. The power of learning old-time rituals symbolized by the pride in their hats eventually dazzles Yolanda
But, her rambling for over 2 hours without saying much and her going into the audience and allowing 4-5 people to sing Wicked or Rent tunes turned he concert into a crude karaoke show. This lasted about 20 minutes.
“Toska” -its nostalgia for dreamed life- of a life that never was nor ever will be. Three Sisters is about a certain kind of paralysis that finds the characters visualizing a future happy life that keeps them immobilized in the here and now.
They’ve done it again! The Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of Beauty and the Beast enchants the audience just as effectively as the old woman enchants the tale’s hero. These CST Family Productions never disappoi
Julie Ganey’s 60 minute solo piece takes an up close and personal look at being an urban living advocate who finds Chicago’s diversity something to cherish
Weber and Batista are so intense and sexually uninhibited that the role playing get so intense that it brings out the animal instincts in both. This is subtle yet strong play that will keep you on the edge of your seats as we wonder what will happen next.