After the Revolution
Written by Amy Herzog
Directed by Kimberly Senior
Noyes Cultural Arts Center, Evanston (map)
thru May 13 | tickets: $30-$40 | more info
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A riveting story about the politics of family
Next Theatre presents
After the Revolution
Review by Katy Walsh
The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write for the purpose of making money. – Karl Marx
Next Theatre presents the Midwest premiere of After the Revolution. Emma is a Marxist. Her father is a Marxist. Her grandfather was a Marxist. Her life has been shaped by left wing liberalism. She is called to work for justice, stand-up for the oppressed, and to do the right thing. She started the Joe Joseph Fund, named after her grandfather, to provide legal representation for victims of corruption. Her new client is a
Playwright Amy Herzog wrote a riveting story about the politics of family. From lights up to black-out, the audience is engaged in understanding this family portrait. The characters are quirky fanatics. Their radical tendencies bring plenty of comedy within the family angst. Under the skillful direction of Kimberly Senior, the unfolding drama is page-turning engrossing. You become invested in this genuine and flawed family. You want to know what will happen, so much so, that when a caustic Mary Ann Thebus (Vera) delivers the last line of the show, you immediately think *sequel*. Thebus delights and bites with stinging zings. Senior creates a family atmosphere of a real family with real baggage, inherited and new. The talented cast authentically embraces their familial role – warts and all. The father-daughter, Mick Weber (Ben) and Christine Stulik (Emma), are true to life. The admiration is there in between the manipulation and dysfunction. They ARE family for reals. In a supporting role, Mike Nussbaum (Morty) charms with his generosity and weathered wisdom. (I’m getting closer to my fantasy of a Thebus-Nussbaum coupling onstage with the adorability possibility anticipated at 12 on a 10 point scale).
The stage, designed by Keith Pitts, is a wooden fortress for intellectuals. Books and art cover wooden shelves. Lighting Designer Heather Gilbert illuminates Pitts’ catacomb-like hallways behind the main living area, adding an interesting dimension to the family’s comings and goings. Senior paces the show with fluidity. During scene transitions, where stagehands are physically moving furniture, Senior has the cast member linger in the preceding scene. The contemplative pause silently connects the audience to the character’s thoughts. Poignant!
After the Revolution is war on the home-front. Marxism aside, this show is relatable even just on a parent-child level. Learning your parents are human is always disappointing. Learning your child doesn’t have to do it your way is always unsettling. After the Revolution asks any family member ‘what is worth fighting for?’
Rating: ★★★½
After the Revolution continues through May 13th at Evanston,s’ Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street (map), with performances Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $30-$40, and are available by phone (847-475-1875×2) or online at PrintTixUSA.com (check for half-price tix at Goldstar.com). More information at NextTheatre.org. (Running time: 2 hours with intermission)
All photos by Elissa Shortridge
