the reviews are in...

for the first two plays of the three we are seeing this week...

First-  Jane Eyre at the Lifeline... excellent performances- I liked the adaptation a lot but Phil was critical of both the production values and the plot (he called it "Chick Lit") - I saw much to admire- the story shaped in your mind just like when you read a book - you could imagine it the way you wanted in the context of the sparse set... and there was heat between Rochester and Jane that I thought really carried the narrative line - and I really admired the "proto-feminism" (as they termed it) Jane exhibited. So I would give this a thumbs up and I think Phil's review would be "go with your girlfriend" LOL

and every time I have a brush with the story of Jane Eyre I am reminded of the fabulous film "prequel" The Wide Sargasso Sea- which was also a book, but I did not read it, only saw the wonderful film... I can highly recommend that film and then a follow up of Jane Eyre (the book if you are outside the Chicago theater area and can't make it to this production.) And I might add, I loved the casting - completely blind to the ethnicity and race of the various characters... I thought it added strength to the back story of Rochester's connections in Jamaica....

and then tonight's production of Pensacola Commons-  well, first let me say that I have a hard time looking positively on any play that has not one character of courage or integrity (check out my reviews of Creditors from last season at Remy Bumppo or Philadelphia Here I Come from last year's Asolo season...) and I had the same problem with this one... each character in turn shows their despicable side or their lack of honesty in some way within the play...

SPOILER ALERT- from the 16 year old niece who sleeps with the aunt's 30 year old boyfriend when the Aunt spends the night in the hospital - to the sister who abuses her own daughter in anger at her mother's dishonesty in hiding what can only be described as a "whole shitload of cash" from the people her husband has bankrupted-  seriously - hated all of them... thought they got what they deserved... or maybe not as bad as they deserved but their whining about how they had been treated smacks of a complete lack of introspection and a complete lack of understanding of the law of cause and effect (frequently referred to these days as karma) - so my review is - despite several excellent performances from those in the roles of Becca and Judith- "don't bother"

next up in the theatrical roll call - Death Tax at the Lookingglass Theater- so stay tuned...