Wonderfully acted, but predictable
As I get older, I realize how fleeting life is. The smallest twist of fate, or conscious decision, can change everything. Cliché, but true: a sentiment that could also sum up Spinning . The Irish Theatre of Chicago's U.S. premiere of Deirdre Kinahan's play has a lot going for it, namely the supremely gifted four-person cast, who give everything they've got and then some. Where falters is its script. Ambiguous title aside, is pretty much exactly what I expected after reading the press release. Kinahan's writing is well-intentioned but predictable, using nonlinear plot lines to tell a story that's been told many times before.
Sound familiar? It is. That's not necessarily the problem - it's a rare story that hasn't been told before. is pure melodrama, and that's not necessarily the problem either. Playwright Kinahan treats her characters and their situations with respect, never villainizing Jen as a lazier author might, or allowing the audience to empathize too much with Conor's increasingly desperate and despicable actions. Her heart is definitely in the right place - if only the characters were more nuanced; the storyline or the way it was told more original. I've seen in movie theaters and on television. I've read books with this exact plot and the exact way of recounting it. I'm not accusing Kinahan of plagiarism, but I wish her script wasn't so quite grieving-by-numbers.
Script issues aside, boasts the sure, sensitive hand of star director Joanie Schultz, who gives each character equal attention and reverence. Set designer Grant Sabin's sloped wooden stage is simple but powerful, a fitting stage for a tragic tale. Kingsley is the picture-perfect anguished mother. Her tears are genuine, her anger frightening and righteous. Meredith, a standout in Sideshow Theater's terrific , portrays unsure adolescent Annie with an authenticity that's borderline chilling. Waller presents a stunning arc as a loving man gone out of control, and Kruse brings an intelligent humanity to Jen.
Without a doubt, is a compelling, emotional parable. Aside from Conor, though, no other character has an arc and everyone ends pretty much the same as they started. The effect is hypnotic, but flat. If Kinahan had taken a different approach, even slightly, could have taken ideas of grief and redemption to a whole new level. As it is, I'll just have to imagine the effect it could have had. Coulda shoulda woulda.
continues through July 3rd at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays 7:30pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $26-$30 (students & seniors $5 off), and are available by phone (773-878-3727) or online through OvationTix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com ). More information at IrishTheatreOfChicago.org. (Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by Emily Schwartz
behind the scenes
Joanie Schultz (director), Jen Bukovsky (production stage manager), Thomas Dixon (sound design), Kathy Logelin (dialect coach), (lighting design), Aly Renee Amidei (costume design), Grant Sabin (set design), Emmy Kreilkamp (dramaturg), Barbara Figgins, Jeri Frederickson (production management), Matthew Isler (technical director), David Rosenberg (public relations), Emily Schwartz (photos)
Tags: 16-0544, Aly Renee Amidei, Barbara Figgins, Carolyn Kruse, Cat Wilson, Chicago Theater, Dan Waller, David Rosenberg, Deirdre Kinahan, Emily Schwartz, Emmy Kreilkamp, Grant Sabin, Irish Theatre of Chicago, Jen Bukovsky, Jeri Frederickson, Joanie Schultz, Jodi Kingsley, Kathy Logelin, Lauren Whalen, Matthew Isler, post, The Den Theatre, Thomas Dixon, Tyler Meredith
Category: 2016 Reviews, Den Theatre, Irish Theatre Chicago, Lauren Whalen
