Thursday, December 1, 2011
Onstage / Performing Arts / Arts The latest Reader performing arts reviews
Posted By Tony Adler on 12.01.11 at 01:00 PM
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- Dean LaPrairie
- Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol
Of course, there are the perennials—shows that come back Christmas after Christmas, so that the dialogue starts to feel more familiar than any liturgy. The undisputed king of these is Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol, now in its 34th year, while the nobility includes The Christmas Schooner, American Blues Theater's It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph (presented as a World War II-era radio show), Redmoon's winter pageant, and for you United Church of Christ types, the stage adaptation of David Sedaris's "The Santaland Diaries." Bucking for a knighthood is Commedia Beauregard's A Klingon Christmas Carol. Back for its second year, it's exactly what the title suggests: a version of Charles Dickens's story performed entirely in the language of Star Trek's Klingons and even infused with their values.
Among the new entries are Silent Theatre's A Christmas Carol: The Silent Bah-humbug, Provision Theater's The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (a melting-curmudgeon story that substitutes "pish posh" for "bah-humbug"), and Tinsel: The Musical from Li'l Buds children's theater. Comedy-centric pH Productions supplies The Santa Stories in two flavors: family-friendly "nice" and late-night "naughty."
Speaking of flavors, Dan Jakes samples a dinner-theater offering called Crime and Pun-ishment. And for a more exotic cuisine, there's Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago's west African program, "Spice It Up."
More by Tony Adler
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And together they provide two perspectives on black women’s lives, written by black women.
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Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is scrumdiddlyumptious and satisfyingly gross
There's also something weirdly liberating about the sight of Oompa Loompas toting knives.
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Steep Theatre strips Amelia Roper’s Zürich of all its humor
All that’s left of the angry satire is punishment.
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