When the World Exploded

I Hate It Here – Steppenwolf Theatre

If asked, most of us will freely confess that last year was a total bomb. 2020 will always be remembered as the year of the pandemic, when COVID-19 infected and devastated the entire planet, closing down everything and forcing us to stay inside our own homes. It was deadly and frightening and, ultimately, made our lives extremely depressing. This was the year when the world exploded and everyone had to quarantine. 

People of all ages everywhere had to make major adjustments to their lives. Ordering things online from Amazon became our way of life.  Delivery of medicines, groceries and prepared meals were the only way to survive. It was strongly recommended that people wear masks if they absolutely had to go outside anywhere. Washing our hands and applying bottled sanitizers became as normal as taking a breath. FaceTime and the Zoom meeting was the way most of us communicated. These two internet connections were utilized for everything, from teaching classes to carrying on business, from family gatherings to bookclub parties. Eventually these virtual events evolved into Podcasts and streamed virtual productions. They became the only way theatres could safely continue to create and communicate.

Notable playwright Ike Holter, who’s best known for his breakout play, “Hit the Wall,” as well as several other exciting dramas like “Exit Strategy,” “The Wolf at the End of the Block” and “Lottery Day,” wrote this piece originally as a podcast. Not necessarily taking place in a particular year, Holter’s play asks, “Where were you when everything started to fall apart?” But while the play isn’t set specifically in 2020, the ideas and emotions expressed in Holter’s play feels like a reaction to living during this pandemic. In his new, visual performance piece, which Holter likens to a record, he features different tracks or vignettes to be viewed in any order, altogether expressing fragments of many different stories. 

A myriad of characters, all portrayed by a cast of six talented Chicago actors (and a special surprise guest artist who appears near the end), are superbly directed by the brilliant Lili-Anne Brown. They include Patrick Agada, Jayson Brooks, the exquisite Sydney Charles, Behzad Dabu, Kirsten Fitzgerald and Gabriel Ruiz. Ms Brown works side-by-side with such excellent supporting artists as video director Christiana Tye and director of photography, Gabe Hatfield. The production’s set design was created by Arnel Sancianco; costumes are by Mieka van der Ploeg; Jason Lynch establishes the perfect mood with lighting; and Paul Deziel adds scenic perfection with his projections. Music direction and arrangements, including the opening and closing numbers, are by Gabriel Ruiz (who, as previously noted, also magnificently plays several roles in this play).

This is a powerful 70-minutes streamed production of explosive emotions, tempered by several darkly humorous scenes and characters. The stories are set in such diverse locales as a Windy City bar, on the back porch of a typical Chicago house, in a dark L train car, outside at a wedding reception, and in many other places. Not for audiences sensitive to strong, x-rated language, Ike Holter’s latest play raises a lot of questions about how people cope during an epidemic, while the world is still trying to solve problems dealing with race relations, gender fluidity, class distinction and all sorts of social conflicts. It’s a fine viral production from one of Chicago’s premiere theatre companies.  

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented in a streamed production July 15-18 by the Goodman Theatre.

Tickets are available by calling (312) 443-3800 or by going to www.goodmantheatre.org/Here.

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