Addis Abeba
I have known about Addis Abeba for years. A friend of mine who loves Ethiopian food and lives in Chicago told me it had been his favorite restaurant in Wrigleyville
Ten Chimneys Review
Visiting Ten Chimneys, the Wisconsin summer estate of American stage legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, is like taking a step back into a more sophisticated time. The Genesee Depot home bursts with mementos of their long dual careers, when they starred in the then-scandalous “Design for Living” – Noel Coward’s ménage a trois comedy […]
At Writers’, Pinter’s “The Caretaker” Asks, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
Tennessee Williams and Harold Pinter aren’t usually thought of as joined-at-the-hip dramatists. The former favored florid self-dramatizing southern gothic tragedy, while the latter is famous for what isn’t said in his “comedies of menace” peppered with those oft-analyzed pauses. But thanks to Writers’ Theatre, I now see both as masters of domestic, territorial battles that […]
Marriott’s “Seussical” Rhymes, Sings, and Captivates
A doctor’s life’s work is depicted … On the main stage out Lincolnshire way At the Marriott Theatre for young-uns Where the shows all run during the day It’s a rhyming bonanza of color and fun An excellent show is this, “Seussical” The book, score and acting, directing and such Would make this a fine […]
Touring “Poppins” is Practically Perfect
“Mary Poppins” is a headline writer’s dream. A great staging can be summed up in one word: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius. Performance not worth attending? Go fly a kite. It’s also an unequivocal showcase for the female lead, with the production’s success resting squarely on the title character’s shoulders. Consider Broadway in Chicago’s current run of the Disney […]
Women Steal the Show in “Follies” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The musical “Follies” idolizes the days of Ziegfeld Follies while also poking fun at them. As a result, theatergoers get show-stopping numbers of the Vaudeville era as well as a deeper look at the past dreams and present follies of the characters. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of “Follies,” by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman, captures […]
Like the Amish, American Theater Company’s Play is Anything But Simple
In “The Amish Project,” Sadieh Rifai inhabits 7 characters with an emotional dexterity that’s virtuosic. On October 2, 2006, a non-Amish milk truck driver in Nickel Mines, Pa., entered a one-room schoolhouse for Amish children with a gun, demanding that all the boys and adults leave. He bound the girls with plastic ties. When the […]
Lost Love Leads to Madness: “Lucia di Lammermoor”
Lucia Ashton is a madwoman, but she didn’t start out that way. Like Juliet Capulet, she falls in love with someone from a rival family and is under extreme pressure to marry someone else. Lucia finally cracks under the demands of her family and the absence of her beloved, and like Juliet, she perishes. Lyric […]
Actors and Their Director Shine in Writers’ “The Real Thing”
“The Real Thing” is a meaty play packed with clever dialogue, passion and complex themes. Set in London, Tom Stoppard’s play follows a playwright whose livelihood starts crumble as the line blurs between his plays and his real life. Writers’ production of “The Real Thing” is as funny as it is poignant because of its […]
The Acclaimed “Clybourne Park” Doesn’t Disappoint at Steppenwolf
When I first read that “Clybourne Park” deals with race, I expected the play to be heavy, or polemical. It’s not, though it is certainly thought-provoking. Playwright Bruce Norris’ characters’ deep uneasiness and their struggles with political correctness—which will make you squirm in your seat—are relieved with inappropriate jokes and foul language, and the audience’s […]
