A Red Orchid Theatre presents the world premiere adaptation of Heinrich's Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, TRAITOR. The intimacy of their space. Their choices in scripts. The look and feel of their performances. A Red Orchid has a long history of putting the theatre goer 'in the room.' And their current offering of TRAITOR not only ...
The Fourth Walsh
Theatre with a side of life
Category A Red Orchid Theatre
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Review “Evening at The Talk House” (A Red Orchid Theatre): When theatre goes dark… forever!
A Red Orchid presents the Chicago premiere of EVENING AT THE TALK HOUSE. In typical A Red Orchid fashion, their current offering is thought-provoking, wacky entertainment. Playwright Wallace Shawn has penned an apocalyptic tale. The twist is his future could be a mere ten years away. Wallace carves out a reality where theatre is no longer ...
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Review “The Room” (A Red Orchid Theatre): Pinter’s Puzzler
A Red Orchid Theatre presents THE ROOM. Playwright Harold Pinter puts us in a small room. He dumps out pieces of a colorful and warped puzzle. The challenge is to fit them together within the absurd constraints of this room. Is the space a sanctuary or a prison for Rose (played with distinction by Kirsten Fitzgerald)? ...
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Review “Sender” (A Red Orchid): Drinking in the Drama and Comedy
A Red Orchid presents the World Premiere of SENDER. On the first anniversary of his death, Lynx (played by Steve Haggard) returns to his life. He shows up on his girlfriend’s doorstep (played by Mary Williamson). The charismatic Haggard is remorseful. A fierce Williamson is enraged. Although he is ready to make amends for his sudden ...
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My Top Ten Unforgettable 2015 Plays
It is my great fortune to live in a town that is bursting with so much theatrical talent. About seven years ago, I stumbled into reviewing the Chicago theatre scene. Every show enhances my understanding of theatre and life. I enjoy most every production for some aspect. The stinkers have been a single digit percentage ...
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Review “Pilgrim’s Progress” (A Red Orchid Theatre): Wacky and Smart!
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the World Premiere of PILGRIM’S PROGRESS. In two words, Playwright Brett Neveu’s tale is wacky and smart! This quirky family Thanksgiving is a charcoal black comedy. Dad is a stage actor. Mom is a psychologist. Son is an earth-poet. And daughter is a pregnant teen. Neveu’s characters are each unique. And ...
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Review “Red Handed Otter” (A Red Orchid): Pet Smart
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of RED HANDED OTTER. The notion that people resemble their pets has always struck me as funny. Does a person select a pet with similar features? Or over time does the person start to mimic the pet in looks and gestures? I’m not certain what happens but I’ve ...
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EXTENDED Thru Mar 15 Review “Accidentally, Like A Martyr” (A Red Orchid): Here’s to a long run…
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of ACCIDENTALLY, LIKE A MARTYR. In A Red Orchid’s intimate theatre space, Set Designer John Holt has impressively constructed a fully-functional bar. The long-curvy bar fills the stage and blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The twinkly Christmas lights, the stacks of longneck cases, the juke box; ...
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EXTEND Thru June 29 Review “Mud Blue Sky” (A Red Orchid): Trifecta!
A Red Orchid Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of MUD BLUE SKY. I love smart comedies, strong female characters and powerful storytelling. Red Orchid’s newest production is my trifecta. The play’s premise sounds like a set up for a joke: three flight attendants meet up in a hotel room. The first one goes out for pot. The second ...