Sun, Stand Thou Still
By Steven Gridley
Directed by David Fehr
Produced by Ka-Tet Theatre
At Stage Left Theatre, Chicago
Engaging fable nicely acted with Ka-Tet Theatre’s Sun, Stand Thou Still
Last August, I saw Ka-Tet Theatre’s production of Road and I liked the work from those Purdue grads. Their new show is a fine production of Steven Gridley’s Sun, Stand Thou Still. From Isabella Ng set design that included two vehicles made from luggage stacked on a rolling cart to the eerie lighting (by Karen Thompson) and interesting sounds from Jonathan Gullien, director David Fehr has mounted an intriguing tale.
The press notes state the following about Steven Gridley’s drama: “This enigmatic tale of a hitchhiker, a cop, a woman selling apples and a blind man who are traveling endless across the desert blends reality with the unreal in a journey of discovery.” This fable deals with the theme of pre-determined destiny. As the characters travel westward, they are fueled by hope as they feel that they have a stake in outcome. They believe they can control their destinies through the choices they make. They journey in search for freedom and seek to enjoy their ride.
The action is enigmatic as we meet The Driver (Jeremy Clark) who is relentless traveling westward. He picks up The Hitchhiker (Dan Meisner) and the two quickly develop a love-hate relationship. Their journey evolves into a constant striving westward. Jeremy Clark and Dan Meisner develop a terrific stage chemistry. Once they encounter The Apple Woman (Kathryn Bartholomew) with her biblical quality apples, the story gets deliciously mysterious. When she dies and comes back to life, things get rather weird. I’ll not give away more.
This nicely paced and expertly acted play (outstanding work from Jeremy Clark and Dan Meisner) is a thought provoking work filled with thematic and mysterious action. Steven Gridley’s work is in good hands with Ka-Tet Theatre’s creative artists. This is another storefront gem from a new theatre troupe. Catch this show soon.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
At Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL, call 1-800-838-3006