9 Circles
Written by Bill Cain
Directed by Marti Lyons
DCASE Storefront Theatre, 66 E. Randolph (map)
thru Oct 6 | tickets: $15 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Simply wow
Sideshow Theatre Company i/a/w Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs presents
9 Circles
Review by Lauren Whalen
Many would argue that purgatory is synonymous with waiting, while hell means eternal, brutal punishment. But the act of waiting itself – remembering what you’d rather forget, questioning what went wrong – is its own kind of hell, especially when you’re not sure how you got there in the first place. Sideshow Theatre Company’s 9 Circles puts a new spin on the concept of hell. Using Dante’s Inferno as a base, Bill Cain’s script combines ancient truths with ripped-from-the-headlines suspense – add to this Marti Lyons’ airtight direction and a mighty cast, and it’s nothing short of stunning.
With its classical roots and newsworthy subject matter, 9 Circles could have easily fallen into heavy-handed, overdramatic territory. Instead, playwright Cain keeps the dialogue so spare and clipped that the highest-ranking military folk would be proud. Yet every phrase is loaded with subtext, commentary and feeling. Cain reveres each word, saying more with one syllable than less skilled playwrights do with entire monologues. Pvt. Reeves is the epitome of anti-hero: he committed an act so unspeakable it has the President empathizing with the enemy, yet Reeves had the odds stacked against him from day one. And now, everyone wants something from him, from the Army lawyer who wants to use him as an example, to the pastor who’s dealing with his own demons, to the public defender who just wants him to say two words so she can prove she’s done her job. Creating a character so loathsome, yet strangely empathetic, requires a delicate balance that’s near-impossible, but Cain thrives.
Director Lyons keeps the staging as simple as the script, eschewing big effects so the story can take precedence. Besides Goetten, there are only three other actors in the show, playing a multitude of characters that move Courtney O’Neill’s few set pieces with startling efficiency. Not a second is wasted, resulting in a fast-paced intermission-less 100 minutes: minimal movement with maximum psychological impact.
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Each of the four actors is perfectly cast, stepping up to their respective roles while shining in individual moments. Andy Luther is gruff and questioning as two of Reeves’ potential attorneys, yet differentiates each character quite well. Jude Roche is excellent as both a sympathetic lieutenant and a menacing man of the cloth, and Amanda Powell brings humor and heart to a nervous public defender, a hardened prosecutor and an Army “shrink”. For Goetten, however, 9 Circles is a tour de force. His Pvt. Reeves is 100 percent believable, a poor boy with a Texas accent and a personality disorder who’s a dubious fit for the military from the get-go. He’s a fascinating study in contrasts: fearless, yet ultimately fearful. He’s reprehensible, yet strangely sweet. He’s a nasty, heartfelt, utterly complex human being.
9 Stories is not easy to watch. It’s chock full of adult content, rough language and graphic imagery. It’s arresting and chilling, a flawlessly executed tale that’s horrific in its relevance. It’s the most disturbing play I’ve seen all year, and one of the very best I’ve seen in a long, long time.
Rating: ★★★★
9 Circles continues through October 6th at DCASE Storefront Theatre, 66 E. Randolph (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $15, and are available by phone (800-595-4849) or online through Tix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at SideshowTheatre.org. (Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes, includes an intermission)
Photos by Jonathan L. Green
artists
cast
Andy Luther (Army Attorney, Public Defender), Andrew Goetten (Pvt. Daniel Reeves), Amanda Powell (Young Lawyer, Shrink, Prosecution), Jude Roche (Lieutenant, Pastor)
behind the scenes
Marti Lyons (director), Courtney O’Neill (scenic designer), Kristin DeiTos (costume designer), Mac Vaughey (lighting designer), Christopher M. LaPorte (sound designer), Michael Huey (composer), Ryan Milosevich (technical director), Arianna Soloway (properties coordinator), Jeffrey Gardner (dramaturg), Cate Anderson, Brittany Parlor (stage managers), John Kelly (asst. lighting design, master electrician), Paul Perry (asst. sound design), Adrea Awad (props assistant), Lindsay A. Bartlett (dialect coach), Aaron Pijanowski (military consultant), Andrew Holmquist (poster illustration), Benjamin W. Dawson (production manager), Jonathan L. Green (photos)
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