Seminar
Written by Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Marti Lyons
at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map)
thru April 13 | tickets: $25 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Rich and satisfying on every level
Haven Theatre presents
Seminar
Review by Kat Hey
There is a joke about a dead writer who is given a choice of heaven or hell. She visits hell, and sees the writers chained to their desks in a fiery pit, lashed by laughing imps. She asks to see heaven and the scene is the same: sweating writers being beaten while chained to their desks. She screams, ”This is just like hell!” An unseen voice says, “Oh, but here your work gets published”. Such is the life of four New Yorkers putting it all on the line in a weekly class with a famous writer.
Playwright Theresa Rebeck has created an intelligent and hilarious story of competition, strange alliances and sex. Seminar is a no holds barred 90 minutes packed with soaring dialog and high wattage acting.
Williamson is perfection as the woman from a wealthy family who plays down the privilege and her gorgeous looks. As Kate, she throws down the feminist gauntlet when challenged and then retreats into angst and some choice snacking. The audience laughed, perhaps in self-recognition, when Williamson ate cookie dough with a “don’t you judge me glare”. Kate’s character is wonderfully choreographed with perfectly timed gestures and reactions.
Neagle plays the always-on-the-edge-of-eviction character of Martin. His performance builds carefully. As the antihero, Martin won’t show his work and is competitive with everyone, especially Leonard. Neagle does a masterful job of being a brooding and sexy guy who can be as sincere as he is manipulative.
Hickey is sublime as the unorthodox Leonard. Hickey plays the esteemed writer with great restraint and a seething resentment just under the surface. Leonard throws himself into the fire with dangerous writing assignments so that when he shows up for class, no one can top the week he just had. Hickey delivers great dialog that reels from disdain to anger, to caring, and beyond. The language is very adult and he has the best line about feminists and sex that I have ever heard. Leonard and Martin share and unlikely alliance in considering written words as sacred. The scenes between the Hickey and Neagle are an angry dance of admiration perfectly timed and with measured emotion. I imagine Norman Mailer in exile and a burgeoning Pete Hamill circling each other and sparring bare knuckled over whiskey and pages.
 
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Asdou gives a lyrical and gentle vibe to the character of Izzy. Here is a woman who sees opportunity and feels no shame in using sex as a negotiation. Izzy comes off as sexy and deceptively lightweight. Asdou has a primo line taking away Martin’s right to snap at her. It is delivered straight with no chaser and turns the character of Izzy in a millisecond.
Lindberg is on point as the young writer with connections. He plays the smug guy who dares to get into a pissing contest with Martin. It is a witty and erudite standoff. They dig at each other with literary references and zingers. Douglas has an Ivy League veneer that Leonard tears off in an inspired diatribe on being a whore. Lindberg keeps a perfect balance as a character that really is a whore for fame but will retain his image at any cost.
Seminar is a rich and satisfying production on every level. Joanna Iwanicka’s sets take the action from the sunny Upper East Side overlooking the river from three rooms, to a dive apartment that looks like it would smell musty with a tinge of alcohol. The original music (by Christopher Kriz) creates a hip and sumptuous aural canvas for the action. This is truly great theater. It is beautifully acted and funny with emotional integrity that never veers into sappiness. There are no bromances or chick alliances to be found. It’s everyone for themselves and it’s a hell of a ride.
Rating: ★★★★
Seminar continues through April 13th at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $25, and are available by phone (773-975-8150) or online through TheaterWit.org (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at HavenTheatreChicago.com. (Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by Dean La Prairie
artists
cast
Tom Hickey (Leonard), Mary Williamson (Kate), Keith Neagle (Martin), Atra Asdou (Izzy), Carl Lindberg (Douglas)
behind the scenes
Marti Lyons (director), Lexie Higgins (stage manager), Garvin Jellison, Jeffrey Glass (production managers), Gordon Granger (technical director), Joanna Iwanicka (scenic designer), Michael Stanfill (lighting designer), Christopher Kriz (sound designer and original music), Kristin DeiTos (costume designer), Andrea Awad (props designer), John Kelly (master electrician), Dean La Prairie (photos)
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