Storefront City Chicago

Archive for the tag “theater”

18 Feb 2013

The Birthday Party

WHAT: The Birthday Party
WHEN: January 24 – April 28, 2013
WHERE: 1650 N. Halsted Ave.
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes with two 10-minute intermissions
HOST: Steppenwolf Theatre Company
PRICE: $15-$78

OUR RATING: Chance It!

(Credit: Sandro)

(Credit: Sandro)

Ambiguity takes and reigns the stage in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, now playing until March 3rd in Steppenwolf’s newly configured Upstairs Theatre in Lincoln Park. Directed by ensemble member Austin Pendleton and starring an epic cast of Steppenwolf ensemble members Ian Barford, Francis Guinan, Moira Harris and John Mahoney (along with Marc Grapey and Sophie Sinise), Steppenwolf’s take on Pinter’s nightmarish dark-comic classic is lukewarm at best.

(Credit: Michael Brosilow)

Moira Harris, Ian Barford, Sophia Sinise, Francis Guinan and Marc Grapey (Credit: Michael Brosilow)

Set in a seaside English boarding house, this comedy of menace is absurd to say the least, with a fluid and questionable sense of time, place, identity and context. To put it simply, the lives of owners Meg (Moira Harris) and Petey (John Mahoney) and their guest Stanley (Ian Barford) are turned upside down with the arrival of two mysterious strangers (Francis Guinan and Marc Grapey). Other aspects of the plot are given step by step and questioned along the way, leaving the audience to piece together the rest of the story.

Steppenwolf’s new configuration of their Upstairs Theatre definitely adds some excitement to the piece, now bringing their audience closer in a new alley (traverse) staging that provides a unique and slightly uncomfortable intimacy with both the stage and the audience on the other side.

(Credit: Michael Brosilow)

Barford and Harris (Credit: Michael Brosilow)

However, the most essential pieces of a Pinter play are unfortunately found missing in this production. The classic suspense and menace that pervade each of his works, including The Birthday Party, are only subtle here, leaving the audience without the unique creepiness and spine-tingling feeling of risk that one usually associates with the Nobel laureate’s work. After reading the play, one feels a certain amount of discomfort and tension that is refreshing and exciting and scary all at the same time. But Pendleton’s direction seems more stagnant and lacks this sense of the dramatic, with a few hapless cameos of the over-dramatic.

(Credit: Michael Brosilow)

Guinan and Grapey (Credit: Michael Brosilow)

In addition to this, the setting, which is clearly stated by Pinter to be a southern English town (as mentioned on several occasions in the media), does not seem to have mattered to whoever provided guidance for accents on this production. Dialects seem to range from northern working class (Mahoney), Thespian London (Guinan), and indiscernible (Welsh?) (Harris). This added to the confused feeling of the production and was perhaps intentional. However, it still doesn’t forgive some of the poorer accent approximations given by certain members of the cast, which are simply unnecessary with the proper training. We, however, blame this more so on a failing of the voice coach than any of the actors themselves.

John Mahoney and Francis Guinan (Credit: Michael Brosilow)

Mahoney and Guinan (Credit: Michael Brosilow)

This doesn’t negate the fact that the acting as a whole is superb, with stellar performances from Francis Guinan and John Mahoney, although Mahoney’s part is much smaller than we would have liked. Each of these theatrical veterans bring a whole lot of punch to this play, with Mahoney’s strange vulnerability and the lovable, yet terrifying, character of Guinan’s.

While the average ticket price may be a bit too steep for this production, Steppenwolf offers some pretty awesome ticket discounts, including $15 student tickets and twenty $20 tickets to every single show. Twenty bucks to see some top Steppenwolf acting of Pinter’s ominous absurd-ism may just be worth it.

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
30 Jan 2013

Stadium Devildare

WHAT: Stadium Devildare
WHEN: January 17 – February 23 (see schedule for details)
WHERE: 621 W. Belmont Ave. (Red Tape Theatre inside St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2nd floor)
RUNTIME: 1 hour 20 minutes, no intermission
PRICE: $25

OUR RATING: Skip It!

How do you summarize Stadium Devildare? Let’s be frank, it’s extremely difficult to fathom what this play is truly about: in some sort of post-apocalyptic future, combatants work both with and against each other in a war zone in a Battle Royale style competition, broadcast to the watching public. We guess?

Red Tape Theatre’s Stadium Devildare did what no art should do: it confused the hell out of the audience and was almost completely and utterly inaccessible.

Adam: The major problem with Stadium Devildare is the extreme obtuseness of the script. What is this battle for glory? Why is it taking place? And why can’t I understand what people are saying, even though they are clearly speaking English?

At first, I thought I was missing the deeper meaning of the play, that my powers of perception and understanding were not great enough to comprehend the words emanating from the stage. Then, I seriously considered the possibility I was having a stroke, but after a quick check of both the right and left sides of my body, I established that the only haemorrhaging occurring was from the outflow of poetic gibberish spewing from Ruth Margraff’s script.

(redtapetheatre.org)

(redtapetheatre.org)

And my belief is strongly that the problems are with the playwright and not the cast or Red Tape Theatre, who did do an admirable job of producing a lemon of a work. A strong performance was to be had from Lyndsay Kane playing the presenter of the night’s entertainment, and all members of the cast engaged in a physically demanding and strenuous set of stage fights. But, the overall quality of the script was so awful that not even an Tony-award winning, or nominated, actor could have redeemed it.

(redtapetheatre.org)

(redtapetheatre.org)

Alicia: I found this play unentertainingly exhausting, which is unfortunate because I have a huge amount of respect for Red Tape and many of the individuals working on the production. Lakeview’s Red Tape Theatre has a mission for reinventing the relationship between the artists onstage and their audience, and have a very unique perspective in providing new and experimental work and an interactive performance space, which many more conservative theaters in Chicago can’t pretend to do. I also found Greg Poljacik’s fight choreography pretty masterful, and there were some really fun scenes with Ninja game characters in this respect (with some stellar nonspeaking performances by Bryan Bosque and Julian Hester). Rachel Spear’s sound design and especially Mike Morch’s scenic design were innovative and also fun to experience.

(redtapetheatre.org)

(redtapetheatre.org)

But that’s as far as it goes, and trust me: those saving graces don’t provide a big enough dosage of aspirin for the headache that Stadium Devildare really was. I felt stupid and confused throughout 95% of the show, which no audience member should have to experience. I’m sure this was not director Karen Yates’s intention, but I had no idea what they were saying, no idea what was going on, and half way through the show I lost my will to keep on attempting to figure it all out. I surrendered and gave up. It was too painful.

Final Thoughts: There is a lesson for the future here: stay away from work you don’t fully understand–inscrutability doesn’t equal gold, and will more than often render nothing but pyrites.

Warning: Contains scenes of rape, extreme violence and foul language.

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
16 Jan 2013

Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West

WHAT: Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West (Theater)
WHEN: January 15 – April 14, 2013 (Previews from January 15-23)
WHERE: TimeLine Theatre Company (615 W. Wellington Ave.)
RUN TIME: 90 minutes, no intermission
HOST: TimeLine Theatre Company

OUR RATING: Chance It!

(timelinetheatre.com)

(timelinetheatre.com)

Pack your bags and get ready to travel from East to West and across time in the Midwest Premiere of Naomi Iizuka’s Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West, now playing at TimeLine Theatre Company in Lakeview East.

We visited TimeLine last season for Enron and were pretty impressed. Their mission is to present stories inspired by history that connect with the social and political issues of today. Concerning Strange Devices definitely hits this target, but we were generally more impressed by TimeLine’s production than by Iizuka’s script.

Last night we attended the first preview performance, so please take this review with a grain of salt. As we both know well, until their opening night on January 24th, this piece is still a work in progress, so a lot could change before you set foot in director Lisa Portes’ vision.

Pictured: Rebecca Spence as Isabel Hewlett. (timelinetheatre.com)

Rebecca Spence as Isabel Hewlett. (timelinetheatre.com)

And what a vision it is. As soon as you walk into the lobby you are subsumed within a fascinating, interactive and educational foray into the history of Japanese tattoos and photography with a well-thought out lobby display designed by Dina Spoerl. It’s small, but it sure packs its share of punches.

After milling about the lobby you are welcomed with open arms into the performance space through a hyper-surreal tunnel of beautiful giant Japanese paper lanterns and into an Alley-configuration theatre with a projection screen puzzle on the opposite wall.

The play focuses on several characters across the span of the 19th century to the present day. The central theme is the camera, which captures both the real and imaginary, and blurs the line between the two. In the late 1800s, an American woman, Isabel Hewlett (Rebecca Spence), discovers the magic of Japan through the camera of photographer Adolfo Farsari (Michael McKeogh). In the present day, a collector of rare photographs (also McKeogh) travels to Japan to negotiate a deal for the very same Farsari photos. Except, this isn’t the whole story, but we shall not say more.

Playwright Naomi Iizuka (timelinetheatre.com)

Playwright Naomi Iizuka (timelinetheatre.com)

Adam: I was most impressed by the design of the set and lighting, which allowed one to enter the world of the production as a member, rather than a spectator. I was also extremely happy with most performances, although Tiffany Villarin (as A Woman in a Kimono, A Servant Girl and Kiku) tended to be weaker than her co-stars. While the production was held together well, my biggest concern is the script. Iizuka creates jumpy, underdeveloped dialogue that sounds oddly like a devised piece from a college than a professionally written piece of theatre. She also seems to have a tenuous grasp of the history surrounding the production (i.e. Farsari’s sexuality), as well as the neurological underpinnings of sight.

That being said, this does not belittle the production itself, and TimeLine does an admirable job of bringing seriously flawed material to life through impeccable line delivery and world creation. It is a shame that TimeLine chose to give Iizuka’s shaky script a go, however, when so many more worthy playwrights remain unproduced.

Director Lisa Portes (timelinetheatre.com)

Director Lisa Portes (timelinetheatre.com)

Alicia: What really made this show: Spence’s star performance, Mike Tutaj’s dazzling projection design, Portes’ surreal/fantastical/sexy transitions, and the fact that pieces of the lobby infiltrated the performance space. This team really thought about the audience experience.

As the space is so intimate, even the smallest details are important, and while Julia Eberhardt’s props capitalized on this with their intricacies, scenic designer Brian Sidney Bembridge’s flooring and Costume Designer Janice Pytel’s take on Hewlett’s Victorian dress cheapened the experience. However, major kudos to them all for being able to transition back and forth and tackle this multifaceted world.

(timelinetheatre.com)

(timelinetheatre.com)

Final thoughts: For all our criticism of the production, it must be remembered that it is only currently in previews and will be until January 23. We expect that, as more runs are completed, the show will tighten and become even more enjoyable to watch.

In a way, it is simply worth going to see the amazing design elements, that allow you to transition from a little Japanese camera shop in the 1880s to a chic high-rise bar in modern Tokyo with effortless finesse.

P.S.: For examples of the photographs taken by Farsari, check out the authoritative and complete Photography in Japan 1853-1912

A word of warning: this production is not appropriate for children.

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
12 Dec 2012

Chicago Shakespeare Theater: The School for Lies

WHAT: The School for Lies
WHEN: December 4, 2012 – January 20, 2013
WHERE: Chicago Shakespeare’s Courtyard Theater (800 E. Grand – Navy Pier)
HOST: Chicago Shakespeare Theater

OUR RATING: Skip It!

If there is one production that it is not vital to see this winter, it’s The School for Lies, at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. In this little jaunt directed by CST’s artistic director Barbara Gaines, Molière’s Misanthrope is adapted by playwright David Ives for the modern audience, with less than impressive results.

The School for Lies

The School for Lies (photo courtesy of Chicago Shakespeare Theater)

Adam: I almost don’t want to confuse you with the over-complicated plot, but in a nutshell, Frank, French but recently returned from England, has adopted the habit of always telling the truth and in order to dissuade his friend from lying, spreads rumours about him. This method backfires, when untruths are thrown his way, casting him into the romantic clutches of Celimene, a wealthy gossipess. Needless to say the story develops along most Shakespearean lines, and yet I suspect the Bard and even Molière would find its pandering, Millennial-centric dialogue, and serious unfunny twists quite revolting.

Don’t get me wrong, we had a few chortles, but nothing that I would come back for. It’s a shame really: Daniel Ostling’s set was ravishing and really built your hopes up (just check out the massively intricate chandelier that looms over every scene). The male costumes were also well thought out, and placed you in those foppish French times so long past.

Alicia: Adam’s synopsis is pretty much on the dot. However, I must parse out his review of Susan E. Mickey’s costumes. Their construction was impeccable and they were absolutely stunning overall, both the men’s and the women’s. However, I think the costume designer had some conceptual problems. I got it, Arsinoe is a spider, right? Spinning her web of lies and chaos. So put her in a big dress that’s black and purple and amazingly reminiscent of a spider. I think the same kind of tangential thinking went into the other female costumes. Worst of all, I saw very little thought in how the females were in relationship with the males in terms of their costumes, and ultimately it seemed like the costumer’s imagination got a little ahead of them. Beautiful, but a bit un-entertainingly ridiculous. And then there was Acaste…I don’t even know what I thought of that 70’s take-back of a costume. Except that my mother has those exact same glasses, which is terrifying.

Other than that, I felt relatively lukewarm about everything else. Ben Carlson (Frank) was perhaps the strongest actor of the bunch, but I enjoyed seeing Samuel Taylor (Lookingglass Alice at Lookingglass Theatre Company), Sean Fortunato (Enron at TimeLine Theatre Company) and Heidi Kettenring (Season’s Greetings at Northlight Theatre) on stage again. I love Samuel Taylor (Dubois/Basque) so much that I tried my darndest to laugh at his canapé bits, with only limited success. I’ll admit his fire-orange quaffed wig had me almost in tears with laughter, though. Meanwhile, Fortunato (Philante) sports an impressive attire that will certainly elicit quite a few giggles. Cinderella may have met her match.

And I will never bad-mouth the naked enchantment of the intimate CST Courtyard Theater.

The final say: Probably not worth your time or money. Give it a miss, but make sure to look at those photos of the chandelier that are circulating on Facebook and in various reviews from critics. Breathtaking.

P.S.: If you want to pick up the script for further reference, here is a really complete edition from Northwestern University – The School for Lies: A Play Adapted from Moliere’s The Misanthrope

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , ,
05 Dec 2012

Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear

WHAT: Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear (Stand-Up Comedy)
WHEN: Running December 4 – 16, 2012
WHERE: Steppenwolf Theatre Company (1650 N. Halsted)
HOST: Jeff Garlin and Steppenwolf Theatre Company

OUR RATING: Do it!


–(photo courtesy of jeffgarlin.com)

We had the amazing opportunity to see the first preview of Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear, a limited engagement stand-up comedy routine in Steppenwolf’s intimate Upstairs Theatre.

While perhaps most known for his role in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm (of which he is also the executive producer), Jeff is also an alum of Chicago’s Second City, wrote/directed/starred in the film I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, has lent his voice to numerous Disney movies and has a local show based in LA called By the Way – Conversations With.

Here’s our two cents on his newest show, Jeff Garlin: Closer Than I Appear.

Alicia: Unlike Adam, I am not a die-hard fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm, nor as familiar with Jeff’s comedy in general. Nevertheless, I went into the performance ready and willing for anything he might throw at me. I was not dissatisfied.

I won’t lie and say Mr. Garlin was flawless. His strength is clearly in scripted (or slightly structured) material, rather than stand-up. While the middle of his performance was shaky (he kept going back to a list of possible stories/angles he brought with him and trying out some new things, many of which only elicited a single laugh or two from the audience before descending into silence), the beginning and end of the show were really strong, and he was a pro at recovering from some of his dead-end attempts.

Perhaps what made this show so appealing was Jeff’s familiarity with Chicago (he’s a native of the city and owns a place up in the Gold Coast). Many of his jokes were based on things I knew from merely walking along the intersection of Chicago and Michigan, or passing the Lou Malnati’s in the Gold Coast. Jeff knows what a Chicago audience can relate to, and how to make it funny. His childish charm and curiosity are really unique staples in his routine. In summary, I found it extremely enjoyable, and I laughed a lot…which is the point, right? I’d go again, even if only to see his jack-o-lantern prop and hear a re-hash of his story about a man and his lotions and creams. I won’t expound or clarify…what would be the fun in that?

Adam: You can’t imagine how thrilled I was to able to see the legendary Jeff Garlin at Steppenwolf, practically right in my backyard. I have a long association with Curb Your Enthusiasm, and remember clearly first seeing the advertisements for it, starring Jeff, about ten or eleven years ago on British television. More than just a comedy series, the show resonated for me at another level, as I saw myself and antics (albeit exaggerated) reflected in those of the characters more often than not.

Jeff Garlin is truly a master of observational comedy. Whether it’s slightly touchy subjects like the obese and their scooters (and who hasn’t wondered about this) or the infamous “lotions and creams” man, Jeff literally makes you laugh out loud. And I mean LAUGH out loud, as in, I was laughing so much I could barely contain myself, which certainly can’t be said of any run-of-the-mill comedian.

His deep knowledge of Chicago and relatability to the audience created a relaxed atmosphere more akin to a conversation with Jeff than a show. While I would ordinarily find audience participation and shout-outs rather annoying, they were entirely appropriate here, and lent to the lovable sense of collective friendship Jeff created.

Jeff’s greatest strength is perhaps a total willingness to say what everyone else is thinking. He doesn’t do this maliciously or with intent to offend, but in the manner of the genuinely interested, which makes us evaluate why we are so introverted in our everyday lives as to never ask these questions. Perhaps what makes him so appealing is his ingenious ability to turn uncomfortable subjects into feather beds.

If you can make it to this show GO! Please, please go! It is the perfect antidote to the impending winter and might, just might, give you a little more faith in the human condition. (Additionally, this is a great opportunity to meet and greet with Jeff after the show, with a variety of merchandise for sale and signing by the man himself).

P.S.: Jeff has a fab new autobiography out that’s worth a read, if you can continue coherently between the laughs – Curbing It

Posted in Performing Arts, See It! and tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Post Navigation

Newer Entries →