Factory christens new home with more style than substance
The Factory Theater was founded in Rogers Park more than twenty years ago. Since then, they have enjoyed several homes around Chicago, most recently at Prop Thtr on the Northwest side. Returning to Rogers Park to open their 23rd season in a brand new space, The Factory Theater continues to produce original, action-packed plays that don't
The latest in a long line of such shows, The Last Big Mistake involves two lady wrestlers who, short on cash, get involved with some mobsters in stealing a mysterious item from a mysterious man. The ensuing romp takes them around Chicago, dodging bullets from villains, punches from antagonist lady wrestlers, and advances from seedy mechanics. It's a fast-paced, Kill Bill-style thriller with little concern for plot. Though placed in 1975, the setting doesn't affect the proceedings as much as you might expect.
and Angela DeMarcoplay the lady wrestler protagonists Lola Knight and Roxy Aguilar as fairly understated, given the tone of the rest of the piece, serving to ground the ridiculousness. The rest of the cast camps it up. Christy Aringtonand Maureen Yasko are particularly enjoyable as the Bad Guy lady wrestlers Bad Betty Willfinger and Big Alice Nitschke, counterpointing Boler and DeMarco's naturalistic performances with impossibly big ones. Frank Nagy (Eric Roach) is an eccentric Chicago mobster whose dim-witted henchman ( Eric Loughlin) imitates Nagy's gestures when Nagy speaks. Timothy C. Amos really delights as a Bond-style villain with distinctive mannerisms and vocal inflections. He completely commits to his characters actions and doesn't give the wink and nod to the audience that the rest of the cast does.
While the romp is a lot of fun, the production has its issues. For a short 80-minute show, an awful lot of time is spent with scene changes and fights. This leaves little time for plot and character development in the barrage of short scenes. Character motivations and logical narrative fall to the wayside and not always to humorous effect. Failing to identify the mysterious object that precipitates all these events comes across as lazy writing.
The Last Big Mistake combines campy acting with irreverent humor and fun/sexy wrestling moves, but it displays a lot more style than substance. If you've enjoyed other Factory Theater shows, you should enjoy this one as well. If you're looking for a first time introduction to what Factory Theater is all about, there's a good chance one of their next shows this season will work a bit better.
The Last Big Mistake continues through April 30th at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard (map), with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $10-$25, and are available by phone (866-811-4111) or online through OvationTix.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com ). More information at TheFactoryTheater.com. (Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission)
Kevin Alves (Foswald), Timothy C. Amos (Cecil Seinkeiwicz), Christy Arington (Bad Betty Willfinger), (Lola Knight), Blake Dalzin (Jake), Angela DeMarco (Roxy Aguilar), Eric Loughlin (Claude), (Frank Nagy), Maureen Yasko (Big Alice Nitschke)
behind the scenes
Manny Tamayo (director), Greg Caldwell (asst. director), Jermaine Edward Thomas (stage manager), Anthony Tournis (fight choreography), Kaitlyn Grissom (set design),Tom Aufmann (master of mystic arts), Sarah Espinosa (sound design), Christine Jennings (prop design), Rachel Sypniewski (costume design), Scott Wagner (lighting design), CW van Baale (master electrician), Jason Moody (graphic design, original music), Scott Oken (production manager)
Tags: 16-0351, Angela DeMarco, Anthony Tournis, Blake Dalzin, Chicago Theater, Christine Jennings, Christy Arington, CW van Baale, Eric Loughlin, Eric Roach, Factory Theater, Greg Caldwell, Jason Moody, Jermaine Edward Thomas, Kaitlyn Grissom, Keith Glab, Kevin Alves, Kim Boler, Manny Tamayo, Maureen Yasko, post, Rachel Sypniewski, Sarah Espinosa, Scott O'Ken, Scott Wagner, Timothy C. Amos, Tom Aufmann
Category: 2016 Reviews, Factory Theater, Keith Glab, New Work, World Premier