trip presents the Midwest Premiere of finding grafenberg. The evening starts out like a gallery opening. The show is at Hairpin Arts Center, a hip Logan Square loft. Two walls of windows illuminate the triangle shaped room from the streetscape. On one side of the room, a couple screens feature pictures from the former New York ...
Review “The Passenger” (Lyric Opera): Unforgiving and Poignantly Memorable
Lyric Opera presents its premiere of THE PASSENGER. This unforgettable story is based on the Polish radio play by concentration camp survivor Zofia Posmysz. On a luxury ocean liner, a woman is haunted by her past. It’s the 1960s. Liese (performed by Daveda Karanas) and her German diplomat husband (performed by Brandon Jovanovich) are enjoying a ...
Review “Dunsinane” (Chicago Shakespeare Theater): Macbeth the Sequel
Chicago Shakespeare Theater World’s Stage, in conjunction with the National Theatre of Scotland and The Royal Shakespeare Company, presents DUNSINANE. Macbeth is dead. The English Army storm Macbeth’s castle of Dunsinane to find his wife is not. Lady Macbeth or as the locals call her, Gruach (played with steely determination by Siobhan Redmond) has assumed ...
Report Card Day for February!
It’s the end of the month. To keep on my 2015 goals, I’m going to evaluate them monthly. I don’t want to get to Fall and have to cram for the final quarter. FINANCE: B In this relentless winter, it’s easy to stay home. And I’ve been trying to do just that at least one night a ...
Review “Yankee Tavern” (American Blues Theatre): Delectable Whopper of a Story
American Blues Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of YANKEE TAVERN. Grant Sabin (scenic design) has opened up a bar at Greenhouse Theatre. It’s not a swanky lounge. It’s an old-man-dive-bar. From the dirty tiled floor to the overflowing clutter spilling out of cubby holes, this tavern has character. The worn and familiar façade suggests decades of ...
The Other Place (Profiles Theatre): A Compelling Puzzle
Reviewed by Tom Lawler Profiles Theatre presents the Midwest premiere of THE OTHER PLACE. The premise of The Other Place is quite simple. A brilliant neurologist begins to see her life unravel in front of her own eyes, though what she sees possibly can’t be trusted. Because we see the world through her eyes though, we ...
Review “Four” (Jackalope Theatre): Dark Side of Dating
Jackalope Theatre presents FOUR. Talking about nothing on the phone. Awkward silences during a car ride. Sneaking fries when your date leaves the table. Playwright Christopher Shinn takes us on two first dates. It’s Fourth of July. And four individuals want to declare their independence. Paige Collins (Abigayle) takes a night off from caring for her ...
Review “The Sweeter Option” (Strawdog Theatre): Stylized and Edgy
Strawdog Theatre celebrates its 100th production by presenting the World Premiere of THE SWEETER OPTION. The intrigue starts immediately as an anxious Sam Guinan-Nyhart (Tucker) dumps an unconscious Michaela Petro (Irene) on the couch. Guinan-Nyhart then positions himself barricading the door and goes to sleep. My curiosity is aroused. And my spidey sense is on full ...
Review “Macbeth” (The Artistic Home): A Futuristic Twist on a Classic
The Artistic Home presents MACBETH. This is Shakespeare like I’ve never experienced before. The classic gets a futuristic twist under the imaginative direction of Scott Westerman. Instead of Scotland in the 1500s, the drama unfolds in an American metropolis in 2100s. The city is what remains after The Great Water Riots of 2089. Water is scarce. ...
Happy Oscar Sunday!
Every year, I try to see as many Oscar nominated movies as possible. Following the nomination announcement in January, the race is on! I get a little obsessive about it. I’m a Walsh after all. It’s in our genetic makeup to be constantly competing to completion. Even if it’s just a personal challenge, we want ...