The Lord of the Wrigley:
The Fellowship of the Cubs
Written by The Nerdologues
Directed by Chris Geiger
at Public House Theatre, 3914 N. Clark (map)
thru June 29 | tickets: $15 | more info
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Pop culture mashup strikes out
The Nerdologues presents
The Lord of the Wrigley: Fellowship of the Cubs
Review by Keith Glab
In The Lord of the Wrigley: The Fellowship of the Cubs, The Nerdologues endeavor to answer a question plaguing mankind for decades: What if a theater company with little knowledge of J.R.R. Tolkien and even less knowledge of Chicago baseball creates a play combining the two subjects?
Not only does the plot lack clarity, but the void of any specificity soon sinks this production into a cesspool of random penis jokes and other juvenile humor, none of which is funny if you are even the least bit sober or older than 16. In an effort to make the production accessible to anyone and not just those who are intimately familiar with “The Lord of The Rings” or Chicago Cubs lore, the performers alienate the very target audience who might think that a mashup of the two subjects is a cool concept. The Director’s Note apologizes for their lack of baseball knowledge and the low-brow antics to come, but by this time it’s too late to get your $15 back.
The Nerdologues ensemble isn’t entirely without talent, but they perform mostly without enthusiasm. Their signature move is to occasionally break character and the fourth wall with monologues to the audience, but since the cast only vaguely maintains characters separate from their own personas and lackadaisically breaks the fourth wall throughout the performance, any effect these monologues might have ebbs. It’s hard to imagine a huge demand for twenty-somethings pontificating on their expansive wisdom regarding subjects irrelevant to the play, anyhow.
The ensemble simply doesn’t put much effort into the production, from the absence of any set to a sound design that doesn’t follow what’s happening onstage, to a script that no one will own up to having written and certainly no one has proofread. The character traits are told to the audience rather than shown through performance. Chris Geiger, who plays The Fighter, is credited with directing the piece, though the disorganized jumble of bodies onstage makes it hard to believe that there even was a director. A butt hat, the repeated squirting of water on someone’s crotch, and a spider creature with penis appendages comprise the creative humor. Everyone gives a Will Ferrell style Harry Caray impersonation that would require some effort to approach insultingly bad.
If you’re truly a fan of “The Lord of the Rings” or Chicago baseball, avoid this show at all costs. Even if you’re just out looking for some easy laughs while hammered, there are dozens of better options in the city.
Rating: ★
The Lord of the Wrigley continues through June 29th at Public House Theatre, 3914 N. Clark (map), with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 2pm. Tickets are $15, and are available by phone (800-650-6449) or online through PubHouseTheatre.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at Nerdologues.com. (Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by The Nerdologues
artists
cast
Claire Friedman (The Cleric), Chris Geiger (The Fighter), Joe Gennaro (Harry Caray), Michael Jando (The Wizard), Katie Johnston-Smith (The Ranger), Kevin Reader (The Thief), Mary Beth Smith (The Sage)
behind the scenes
Chris Geiger (director), Katie Hildreth (stage manager, tech director), Byron Hatfield (producer), Matt Mattingly (house manager), Sasha Hatfield (PR director), Pat Lothian (media director)
15-0547
