The Gacy Play
Written by Calamity West
Directed by Jonathan L. Green
at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map)
thru July 29 | tickets: $20-$25 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Going home for the holidays, Gacy-style
Sideshow Theatre presents
The Gacy Play
Review by Katy Walsh
As a single woman with skin that would make a nice dress, I’ve survived murder by putting people into two categories: serial killers and the others. On the bus, at a restaurant, in the next door apartment: killers have to commute, eat, live… somewhere. Being aware of this basic truth keeps me alive. I continually separate myself from potential disaster through successful profiling followed by isolation. I’ll be ready to be interviewed by the media after my neighbor is caught in a carnage-spree. I’ll finally get to say, “No, I’m not surprised.”
Playwright Calamity West zeroes in on the early days of a serial killer. It’s almost like a prequel to the bloody massacre in the distant future. West keeps the story normal, almost dull. Under the direction of Jonathan L. Green, there is no spooky-Jason-Friday-the-13th music. It’s actual Christmas music. The tension doesn’t simmer to a boil. It’s pretty lukewarm. Everything about this show borders on mundane… but maybe that’s the more disturbing point. Andy Luther (Gacy) plays it perfectly understated. Luther uses hiccup-like laughs to cover-up his innuendos. He follows up the chortling with a firm, unsettling statement. He is amicable AND menacing! The subtle contrast is poignant. A particularly powerful scene is Luther with the three dead guys (Alex Ring, Adam Shalzi, Andy Sheagren). The ghosts portray varying degrees of fate acceptance. Their presence captivates with a peek into Gacy’s calamitous basement and psyche.
Going home-for-the-holidays-Gacy-style is an interesting notion. The West-Green team go for a conventional and personal experience, not a slasher-thriller. A speed bump to getting into the mood for a good old-fashion killer Christmas is the theater itself. Some of the intimacy is lost in the cavernous space. It’s difficult to hear some of the voices onstage and even harder to hear when they are talking offstage. These audio issues are a barrier to connecting to the characters. Of course, do you really want to get attached to a serial killer anyway?
Seeing The Gacy Play will leave you wondering about the person next to you. And if that person is Andy Luther, you might want to move seats… I’m just saying, “I won’t be surprised.”
Rating: ★★½
The Gacy Play continues through July 29th at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays 8pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $20-$25, and are available by phone (773-975-8150) or online at TheaterWit.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at SideshowTheatre.org. (Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes without intermission)
Photos by Jonathan L. Green
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