5-12-06
This Godot Not Worth A Wait
Beau and Colm O’Reilly in Curious’ Waiting for Godot.Of course, Beckett’s estate takes an extremely restrictive view of productions of his plays, so, unfortunately, the chance to see revolutionary productions of a play like Waiting for Godot will have to wait until Beckett’s work enters the public domain. In the meantime, we’ll mostly have to settle for solid, if somewhat uninspired, attempts like that of Curious Theatre Branch.
I did see a staging of Waiting for Godot at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada that was actually revelatory. It accomplished so much more in conveying the alternating hope and despair Vladimir and Estragon experience than other productions I’ve seen. Sadly, Curious’ effort doesn’t succeed on that level.
It’s not that Stefan Brun’s production is a complete failure. Indeed, Beau and Colm O’Reilly have a nice chemistry on stage (unsurprisingly) and Jeffrey Bivens manages one of the better Luckys I’ve seen. What’s lacking, though, is the sense of desperation that drives these two men to return each day to wait for the elusive Godot. Like Chekhov, playing the boredom is deadly and this production falls occasionally into that trap.
If anything, the presence of the O’Reillys makes the show more of a disappointment. Colm’s big eyed attempts at logic and Beau’s irascible energy are both spot on, but, along with the rest of the production, neither makes any kind of turn on the home stretch. The play just sort of stops, without ever arriving at a particular place.
So it’s a serviceable Godot, but nothing extraordinary. If you’ve never seen the play fully staged, it’s certainly worth a look, but for those with less time or greater familiarity, you’ll have a similar experience re-reading the script.
Waiting for Godot – Curious Theatre Branch
Hedy Weiss, Sun-Times—“If you’ve never experienced Samuel Beckett’s landscape-altering Waiting for Godot, the Curious Theatre Branch production would be a fine place to start. It is exceptionally clear, unfussy and well-acted. Even if you’ve already seen the play countless times, this is a solid production to revisit. In director Stefan Brun’s rendering, certain lines in this seminal work of 20th century drama pop into relief in a way that seems entirely fresh. Add to this the intimate ‘poor theater’ quality of the Prop Thtr space where this Godot is being produced, and it all feels just right, with a brown cloth curtain squeakily hand-drawn across the stage that endows the whole undertaking with the feel of a ragtag vaudeville or beggars’ theater.”
Fabrizio O. Almeida, New City—“Devoid of political overtones and admirably resisting the imposition of any specific interpretation or ‘meaning,’ Curious Theatre Branch’s straightforward yet rewarding staging of the existential classic achieves something truly remarkable: it makes you feel like you might be encountering Samuel Beckett’s seminal drama for the very first time.”
Book of Days – Raven Theatre
Chris Jones, Tribune—“(T)he piece now proves apt for community-focused, non-Equity operations like Raven. Some of the energy gets dissipated on this very wide set, the acting is mixed, and there are several instances where the stakes do not rise to sufficient heights. But, overall, this easy-to-digest Raven production is quite a decent effort. Several of the lead performances—especially Cora Vander Broek and Melissa Nedell, who play the two women with the most to lose—are honest and involving... This isn’t a production to grab you by the back of the throat, but it is warm and passionate. And I’d lay a bet that Wilson would find it (in most ways at least) thoroughly right-headed.”
Kerry Reid, Reader—“Lanford Wilson’s 1998 drama about the conservative residents of a small Missouri town delineates the culture clash between local government and international conglomerates, the obsession with sexual rather than corporate morality, and the threat posed by groupthink religionistas bent on integrating church and state. The enduring strength of this anti-Our Town is Wilson’s knack for characters who may be based on recognizable types but never devolve into shrill stereotypes. Michael Menendian’s intelligent staging captures both the play’s epic sweep and the homey details of life in a town riven by fundamentalism and globalization.”
Venus Zarris, Gay Chicago—“The first act is terrific. Director Michael Menendian assembles an excellent ensemble to create Wilson’s deceptively charming, sometimes funny and idiosyncratic world that resembles the humble community theatre feel from which much of the story unfolds... But it is Cora Vander Broek’s portrayal of Ruth that takes this production to another level... She delivers one of the finest performances seen so far this year. Sadly, the second act is a bit flatter than the first. It is still quite engaging but loses much of the rhythm and strength, becoming a bit more obvious and forced... But even with the shortcomings of the second act, Raven’s Book of Days is still a beguiling portrait of a dark and sinister American tale.”
Catey Sullivan, Windy City—“Directed by Michael Menendian, Book of Days is a taut, dark and unconventional thriller. There’s a mystery, a corpse and more than the whiff of a heinous crime. Even so, this is no slick whodunit. It is instead a vivid story of an undredgeable swamp happily inhabited by people in denial of the suffocating muck... Director Menendian also instills a sense of chilling creepiness into Book of Days. When Bates’ wife starts speaking in tongues, the moment is one of pure, scalp-crawling horror. And the distant gunshot that echoes throughout (a masterful, haunting effect by sound designer Nick Keenan) is the stuff of nightmares.”
The Golden Truffle – Redmoon Theater
Chris Jones, Tribune—“You could make an excellent case that the sensory, classy atmosphere, [John] Fournier’s smart ditties, the visual flourishes and, of course, the superbly presented chocolates, are more than enough for your money. Perhaps. But The Golden Truffle also has some serious holes. For starters, there is a paucity of top-drawer voices amid the non-Equity cast and the singing is often loose and shoddy. And this is, after all, a musical. More troubling still, much of the spoken dialogue has that deadly air of improvised uncertainty... (O)nce people stop singing and start talking, serious problems emerge in a show that’s at least 20 minutes too long.”
Hedy Weiss, Sun-Times—“However you define it, The Golden Truffle is a decidedly Redmoon concoction—one marked by grand ambition, grand scale and grand zaniness. It also seems designed to satisfy its more deep-pocketed fans, as opposed to the populist crowd it attracts with its free outdoor celebrations. Created by Jim Lasko and co-directed by Frank Maugeri and Vanessa Stalling—with a rollicking pastiche score by John Fournier and the contributions of scores of designers and technical wizards—Truffle also is a logistical challenge that demands the precise delivery of chocolates and drinks throughout the show. A show, incidentally, that is much too long for its own good.”
Laura Molzahn, Reader—“Redmoon Theater’s musical features clever satirical songs by John Fournier, dance, a cash bar, and a tasting menu of high-end chocolates. What makes it a cut above your usual dinner (or dessert) and a show is its thoughtfulness about consumption, competition, and Americans’ relentless pursuit of happiness. The show’s conceit is that it’s a contest between five egotistical performers for the Golden Truffle award. But the real stars of this event are the set and props. The show is far from perfect, but its roughness and exuberance make it the perfect complement to all that meretricious chocolate.”
Jonathan Abarbanel, Windy City—“Unlike other Redmoon shows, this one uses no masks and few puppets, and yet it’s every bit as exaggerated as previous Redmoon creations; a funhouse distortion of things and behavior, although not so extreme as to be threatening. The plot is simple—even silly—and is a shaggy-dog story to boot, yet the execution is complex and sophisticated, based on physical creativity that’s nothing short of dazzling with just a soupcon of intentional cheesiness; call it the Rube Goldberg homage. In short, think of The Golden Truffle as a live-action cartoon—a more fantastic but less frenzied Beach Blanket Babylon. A huge venture with cast, musicians, servers and staff, The Golden Truffle is performance and environment all in one, and might run forever in its own establishment rather than an old warehouse.”
The Secret Garden – Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago
Chris Jones, Tribune—“Its numbers tend toward the overwrought, but their melodies lodge themselves deliciously in your head. And the show has the kind of vivid emotional center that always squeezes tears from my eyes, even on the umpteenth seeing. Better yet, this Porchlight Music Theatre revival is exceptionally strong. It’s not only marked by several honest and moving performances but uncommonly well sung. And with ticket prices topping out at half of what you pay downtown, it is an excellent Easter choice for family entertainment. Especially for tween girls.”
Misha Davenport, Sun-Times—“Presented in the claustrophobic jewel box space at the Theatre Building Chicago, the musical feels shoehorned into the venue. And it’s one tight fit. With eight or more actors on stage at any given time, the stage movement is less about choreography and more about crowd control. Still, Porchlight is known for the quality of music and singing in its productions. Lucy Simon’s score, a curious mix of Indian chants, Celtic rhythms and English folk songs, is one of the most gorgeous to emerge from Broadway. Porchlight presents this gentle musical at a level usually reserved for Broadway productions.”
Lawrence Bommer, Reader—“Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago presents this 1991 musical version of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel, about an orphan girl who overcomes her own isolation to bring joy to her morbid uncle. Lucy Simon’s score has enough uplift to float a dozen dirigibles, but they’re anchored by the raw heartache of Marsha Norman’s book. Director L. Walter Stearns’s production is fluid and deeply felt, the cast is unimprovable, and the singing soars.”
Jeff Rossen, Gay Chicago—“Under L. Walter Stearns’ emotionally charged direction that gets right to the story’s core and stays sharply focused on its telling, The Secret Garden is beautifully revealed through impassioned performances that are delicately detailed and sung to flawless perfection. This is so especially true of young Mallory Baysek as Mary, who delivers a strikingly etched performance of action and—more importantly—reaction that is as fascinating to witness as it is gorgeously sung.”
Quote of the Fortnight
“Mo Collins gets good and liquored up when she comes to Chicago, and by the way, her preferred bagel schmear is plain cream cheese.”—Nina Metz covering the Chicago Improv Fest in the Tribune.