Kind of a lackluster week of reviews at TOC—we wrote up six shows, and none of them scored above three stars (though I should note that John Beer was "on the cusp" of recommending Raven's Hedda Gabler).
Luckily, though, there are lots of good shows already running, and I have a backlog of shows I'm hoping to catch up with in the next few weeks, including Theo Ubique's Evita, Theatre Seven's Diversey Harbor, ATC's Hedwig and The Overwhelming at Next, to name a few, and more opening shortly about which I hear good things (like The Lieutenant of Inishmore, which I'm catching tomorrow night at Northlight, and the Goodman's Rock ’n’ Roll, opening next week).
Since I'm too swamped to write much of substance here at the moment, I thought I'd offer up a list of the current shows I have seen and can personally recommend. Links to full info at TOC so I don't have to duplicate it here.
The Flu Season (thru May 31)
The History Boys (thru June 21; may extend)
Mary Poppins (thru July 12)
Million Dollar Quartet (open run)
Pumpgirl (thru May 24)
Red Noses (thru May 23)
Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens (thru May 9)
The Tempest (thru May 31)
The Wonderful World of Dissocia (thru May 10)
What do you recommend?
Will second the Red Noses recommendation.
I really liked The Lieutenant of Inishmore up at Northlight also (with the caveat that there was one acting beat I COMPLETELY disagreed with, if you're reading this, BJ)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch at ATC- backstage drama aside, this is a really phenomenal production of this with Nick Garrison as the fabulous centerpiece.
I would hate for Steppenwolf's production to be anyone's *first* encounter with the Tempest, but sure, people should give it a whirl.
"Rose and the Rime," though that's just about to close.
I had several others, then I realized they'd actually already closed. Apparently I need to go see some more shows this weekend.
Posted by: Ed | May 06, 2009 at 10:30 PM
Will third the Red Noses rec. Delightful and impressive show and a great cast. Cut to the Quick at the side project has some hidden gems as well.
And for your consideration, an admittedly biased (but not erroneous) recommendation of WildClaw's "The Revenants." I do not always recommend my own shows (truly) and WildClaw's nailing this one. Horror-freaks and drama-lovers alike are embracing it, and the company's ardor for the genre is evident in every decision.
Posted by: Scott Barsotti | May 07, 2009 at 12:22 PM
I think Porchlight's production of "Once on this Island" is pretty good as well (saw first preview this past weekend). They're layering an interesting different concept on it through design- instead of being set in the French Antilles, the 'island of two different worlds' is being told by a community on the island of Manhattan.
Posted by: Ed | May 12, 2009 at 09:15 AM