A Midsummer Dream

Midsummer – Greenhouse Theater Center and Proxy Theatre

Helena is sitting at a bar in Edinburgh, Scotland, making her way through a bottle of wine, having just been stood up by her boyfriend. Bob is sitting in the same bar, reading Dostoevsky to cheer himself up. Both have just or are just about to celebrate their 35th birthday, and it’s left them in a foul mood. So they do what any rational pair would do when forced to contemplate difficult questions about their lives – they get very drunk and go to bed together.

Thus begins a fairly unbelievable weekend for the two as they part, reconnect, and part and reconnect again. The show describes itself as a “play with music” and that is probably the fairest description I could come up with. Dispersed throughout the show, the two actors play guitar and ukele, letting folk music comment on and move the scenes along, but never quite getting to the full combination of story and song as a true musical. Going in, I was worried if it would work, so I’m thrilled to report it does. I will particularly remember an ode to a hangover for some time.

The story itself is rife with romantic movie cliches: the chance meeting, the walk in the rain, someone leaving on a plane/ferry/train/car/spaceship and running to catch them at the last minute. What could be a bland parody is elevated by some genuine emotional moments and insights for the characters, particularly when they break the fourth wall to call out each other’s retelling. How we re-tell stories is as important as what actually happened, and knowing that, the show plays with narrative in a way that adds complexity to the familiar sign posts in a romcom.

Chaon Cross as Helena and Patrick Mulvey as Bob have a tall order in this show. This is a show that cannot work without an exceptionally talented cast. If either Cross of Mulvey let any of the balls drop for even a second, the show is lost, and probably not recoverable. Fortunately, they are amazing actors. They appeared together earlier this year in Court Theatre’s The Adventures of Auggie March. The result of having worked together before is easy and obvious chemistry. They trade banter with ease and it makes you root for them. Also playing the other dozen or so bit characters in the show, they have flawless comic timing and some spot on Scottish accents. And as I’m sure we all know, people yelling in Scottish accents is right up there with children swearing on the funny scale. Add to that the fact that they (literally) make beautiful music together, and it’s not hard to see why the show works so well.

Like all great romantic comedies, the show embraces its absurdity with both hands. The result was a delightful evening. I had a ridiculous grin on my face pretty much the entire show, and then for pretty much the rest of the night. It was a joy to watch two gifted actors fling themselves through the story at breakneck speed. I cannot recommend this show highly enough.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Kevin Curran

Presented September 4 – October 6 by Greenhouse Theater Center and Proxy Theatre at Greenhouse Theater Center at 2257 N. Lincoln, Chicago.

Tickets are available at www.greenhousetheater.org, by calling (773) 404-7336, and at the box office.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found at www.theatreinchicago.com.