Conceive and Directed by Margot Bordelon and Cassy Sanders
Written by Scott T. Barsotti, Molly Each, Laura Eason, Brian Golden, Kristin Idaszak, Kim Morris, Nick Ward and Doug Whippo
Greenhouse Theater Ctr, 2257 Lincoln (map)
thru Sept 11 | tickets: $15-$25 | more info
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Aiming for the truth
Theatre Seven presents
We Live Here
Review by Keith Ecker
Here’s a little context. For nearly two years, I have run a popular first-person reading series called Essay Fiesta. Each month, we feature true tales by a cross section of Chicago artists. I’m also involved with the stand-up community. The best essays and the best stand-up comics all share a unifying trait. That trait is truth.
Theatre Seven‘s We Live Here achieves its artistic goal when it’s not obstructing the truth. There are a few moments where directorial devices are cumbersome and the writing is condescending, the production falls short. Fortunately, there are many more successes than failures.
This ambitious piece serves as a meditation on place and the people that inhabit it, particularly Chicago and the resident artists who live in the city’s North Side. Theatre Seven recruited eight writers to contribute stories of "quintessential Chicago moments." These stories were then dramatically staged and given life by a cast of actors. At times, characters in separate scenes interact to illustrate that all these stories exist in the same geography. There is also a video element that includes interviews with Chicagoans about their views on the city, both the good and the bad.
Let’s start with what works. There are two vignettes I’d rank as the strongest. In one, a woman (Sarah Gitenstein) follows a handsome young man around downtown while waiting to hear about the health of her unborn child. The writing is poetic. The narrative weaves together descriptive elements to create a heartstrings-pulling conclusion. Also, the direction is minimal. We basically get a straight monolog. And thanks to Gitenstein’s truthful acting, we feel that this could be her story.
The other outstanding piece features a young man (Cody Proctor) who lives in the River North area in the early ’90s. He has an infatuation for a friend that goes unrequited. When tragedy strikes, the relationship changes, but not in the way you might think. Once again, the writing is strong. The direction does not interfere with the piece, mixing monolog style with some simple two-person scenes. And Proctor’s performance is imbued with strong, subtle emotion.
 
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The remaining scenes are a mixed bag. Some are very good, such as an introspective story about the infamous Steve Bartman and a compelling tale about a bike messenger (brilliantly acted by Cyd Blakewell), though the heavy-handed direction in the latter is annoying. A story about a woman who runs into an old fling on the beach could be strong, but suffers from some timid acting. A story about a waiter who misses a concert lacks the high stakes necessary for an audience’s emotional investment. And then there’s the piece about a young man with a kidney stone that is written with such contrivance, acted with indication and directed so poorly that it actually elicits groans.
As much as I did like the majority of We Live Here, one thing I couldn’t get past is why the writers don’t present the stories themselves. This would be much more compelling than seeing the dramatized versions. Using actors, even very talented actors, distances the audience from the truth, while the heavy reliance on theatrical effects just serves as a distraction. I can vouch that Molly Each and Kim Morris (both of whom are friends of mine) are not just wonderful writers but absolutely amazing storytellers. Their stories would have an even greater emotional impact if they came from their mouths.
Overall, We Live Here is an interesting theatrical experiment. And like most experiments, some of it works, and some of it doesn’t. Fortunately there is enough genuineness here to make it a recommended show.
Rating: ★★★
Theatre Seven’s We Live Here continues through September 11th at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $15-$25, and can be purchased online at TheatreSevenofChicago.tix.com or by phone (773-404-7336). More information at Theatre Seven’s website.
All photos by Amanda Clifford
artists
cast
Behzad Dabu, Sarah Gitenstein, Jessica London-Shields, George Zerante, Desmond Gray, Paige Collins, Keith Neagle, Cyd Blakewell and Cody Proctor
