Stellar “Sweeney Todd” at Drury Lane

Drury Lane pulls out all the stops with Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd at Drury Lane Theater, Oakbrook Terrace

Directed by Rachel Rockwell

Runs August 11-October 9, 2011

Tickets $35-$46; Box Office (630) 530-0111

Highly Recommended

Review by Darcy Rose Coussens

Whatever your theatergoing plans are for the upcoming months, make sure Drury Lane is your first stop. Their delightfully gruesome Sweeney Todd, expertly directed and choreographed by the accomplished Rachel Rockwell, is the knockout of musicals. Broadway actors Gregg Edelman and Liz McCartney head the solid cast as Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett. Edelman has four Tony nominations to his credit, and once he sings it’s easy to see why. McCartney is wildly funny as Lovett, and her unparalleled energy keeps the show rolling smoothly and swiftly to the murderous end.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler, this is the dark tale of a deranged barber set on revenge. After fifteen years in exile from a false accusation, Benjamin Barker, now calling himself Sweeney Todd, returns to seek his beautiful wife and daughter. The clever set design (Kevin Depinet) creatively copes with the many changes of scenery, using a large cube that rotates to change settings. The lights are an integral part of the show, projecting images of London, a shipyard, or even blood (avoiding any messy goo) on the reflective backdrop. Jesse Klug’s commendable lighting design adds quite a few creepy effects, including a disturbing asylum of silhouettes through hanging strips of plastic. Only hands emerge to grasp at the sailor Anthony when he visits to rescue Johanna, Sweeney’s daughter.

I will say that despite Edelman’s powerful voice and commanding presence, his Sweeney wasn’t all that scary. He seethed quietly, which didn’t quite sell him as a tortured, vengeful man who slaughters his customers. Kevin Gudahl’s Judge Turpin could have been more evil, as well, instead coming across as somewhat bumbling and naïve. Their duet “Pretty Women” was one of the best songs, though, and overall this show was such a knockout that it is impossible to dwell on these details. George Keating is a stitch as the cooky rival barber Pirelli, and his young helper Toby is played by the charming Jonah Rawitz. Although I am guessing he will soon outgrow such high voiced parts, Rawitz sings the part well and completely won me over.

Sweeney Todd is a lively, fun musical (albeit morbidly so), but Drury Lane pulls out all the stops. The audience shouted with laughter at Sweeney’s barber chair, which actually drops his victims to the pie shop below where they are considered ingredients. McCartney and Edelman enjoy endless puns in the meat pie shop scene with “A Little Priest,” and the cast perfectly balances the humor and darkness. Multi-Jeff Award winner Rachel Rockwell has a knack for creating seamless productions, and between the exceptional cast, designers, and direction, this production stands as one of her best.

Family Devotions: Halcyon’s Hwang Falls Short

Halcyon’s attempt at Hwang falls short of potential

Family Devotions by David Henry Hwang

Halcyon Theater Company at Greenhouse Theater Center

Runs August 11-September 4, 2011

Not Recommended

Review by Darcy Rose Coussens

Wrapping up the summer of David Henry Hwang in Chicago is Family Devotions presented by Halcyon Theatre. First was Yellow Face at Silk Road in June and then Chinglish at the Goodman, now headed to Broadway. Yet despite the hype about the three plays as well as my own appreciation of the Tony award-winner’s work, I found Halcyon’s production something of a letdown. This is one of Hwang’s earlier plays, and although a few plot transitions could do with some ironing out, Family Devotions has plenty of wit and important concepts that get lost in the shuffle in this performance.

This dark comedy depicts three generations of a Chinese-American family gathered for a reunion: two elderly sisters, their children, and two teenage grandchildren. The guest of honor is Di-Gou, the great-uncle visiting from communist China. His loyalty to his country and lack of religion causes conflict between him and his sisters, who are devout, even fanatical Christians. Diverse in cultural assimilation, the family members discuss their expectations for one another and their views of what being an American really means. However, focus seems to sidetrack into the smaller moments and I felt that overall this production missed the mark, leaving the story floundering below its potential.

The actors sometimes seemed to be striving for the audience’s attention, even from the moment I walked in– one actress mysteriously “messed around with the space” until two minutes before the show began, which made for awkward, hushed pre-show conversation in the small studio space. Most of the cast comes across as hokey and theatrical, but Di-Gou (Arvin Jalandoon) redeems them somewhat in the depth of his reserved and thoughtful character. Among the largely two-dimensional and ultimately frightening characters, the audience can relate to this bewildered visitor, who truly represents tradition and loyalty. The two elder sisters (Kaori Aoshima and Mia Park) are severe but also funny, although I lost a couple jokes in their accents.

This experience was an off-putting one overall. The set is basic yet poorly designed, mixing indoors and outdoors with a pillar front and center that blocks sight lines. I wasn’t sure what to make of the abrupt ending, which includes torture, speaking in tongues (to my interpretation), and the sudden death of two characters (at least I think they are supposed to be dead). Director Jenn Adams fails to consistently connect the overlying themes, so that the plot shifts disjointedly from lighthearted banter to intense religious zeal. I was puzzled upon entering and I left even more confused. The tickets are affordable for Chicago theater, but unfortunately the quality is not.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is located at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago.

Run time is 85 minutes.

Tickets are $18-25 and can be purchased at (773) 404-7336.

Visit HalcyonTheater.org for more information.

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