Recast with Chicago-natives, Freud’s Last Session has been extended by popular demand to July 15. It’s well deserving of its popularity with its riveting look at two great intellects of the 20th century giving a lesson in impassioned discourse to the 21st.
From Peggy Roeder’s Edith Bunker-esque turn as the mother, to Craig Spidle’s copacetic father to Joe Foust’s flamboyant loser son to Erin Noel Grennan’s liberated woman persona to Kevin McKillip’s saintly priest – we empathize with the foibles of this honestly presentation of the ‘average’ middle class American family
Before he wrote RENT, Jonathan Larson wrote and performed tick, tick…BOOM! as an autobiographical look at his dream of leaving his mark on musical theatre. Some would argue that tick, tick, BOOM! is Larson’s best work even though RENT is his most well known rock opera. I have always liked tic, tic…BOOM! better than RENT mainly because it is structured more like a traditional Broadway musical.
There’s the family we get and the family we make, and Kin has the audacious goal of studying that dynamic from the inside out.
This delightful play about dying, yes I said dying, really speaks most about living. After all, why would anyone want to see a play about someone’s last days? Morrie Schwartz is in his final months, but the dialogue between him and Mitch Albom certainly creates a play worth our time. The comedy lightens the seriousness of the subject and balances the more poignant ideas about life. Based on a true story published in 1997 authored by Mitch Albom, the script shouts authenticity.
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.
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
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.
Originally produced at New York’s Roundabout Theatre, playwright Kim Rosenstock’s dark comedy, Tigers Be Still, is a fun-filled comedy featuring a group of likable losers who can’t seem to cope with life’s stresses.
Still fresh and frisky, CATS is an indispensable stop on the world-tour of theatre. Visiting Chicago for a short five day run, don’t dawdle if you want a chance to see a true piece of panache and pageantry.