The cast of Strawdog’s “Great Expectations” Oh, Pip. That poor orphaned protagonist from Charles Dickens’ classic 1861 novel Great Expectations. The one who moves from youthful innocence to morally questionable social climber to sobered adult while meeting a host of colorful characters along the way, including an aged jilted bride with a sadistic streak and… Read More Strawdog presents a straight-to-the-heart ‘Great Expectations’
While the rest of Europe was suffering through WWII, Ireland stood fast in its neutrality, even referring to the war as “The Emergency” in an attempt to mitigate the impact of the war, and the news surrounding it, with their people. Improbable Frequency, an unapologetically zany musical comedy by Arthur Riordan (book and lyrics) and… Read More Strawdog’s raucous ‘Improbable Frequency’ could use a bit more probability
A few updates: Getting back in the swing: As you can see from my mini theatre calendar to the left of this post, I’ve got a full lineup over the next several days. Like most things in life, easing back into things is for sissies. Theatre Wars! My fearless Chicago theatre compatriot, blogger and podcast… Read More Come see me, and others, make fools of ourselves in the name of Chicago theatre (and other things)
Powerlessness. Mob mentality. Virtual worlds. Avoidance. Depression. Escape. These are just a few of the themes explored in German playwright Manfred Karge’s subversively dark comedy The Conquest of the South Pole. Written before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Karge’s play looks at how the suffocating despair after losing one’s job in a depressed economy… Read More Defeat is a dirty word in Strawdog’s puzzling ‘The Conquest of the South Pole’
The cast of Strawdog’s “State of the Union.” Integrity. There’s a word used a great deal in political discourse, but infrequently seen in action. The 1946 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsey, State of the Union, looks at how difficult it is for one to maintain their integrity when put through the… Read More Strawdog’s ‘State of the Union’ is classy and smart
You can’t cheat death, but you can laugh at it in Strawdog’s ‘Red Noses’ Bright yellow vomit. That’s how you know it’s time to sack it up and head on through to the other side. Nothing left to do but laugh! It’s the mid 14th century, and the Black Plague is gaining momentum. People are… Read More Strawdog’s ‘Red Noses’ finds the humor in the horror
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