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A Prayer For My Daughter
By Thomas Babe
Directed by Si Osborne
Produced by Marry-Arrchie Theatre Co.
At Angel Island
735 W. Sheridan
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-0442, tickets $18 - $20 - $22
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission
Through December 22, 2007
Raw and violent cop drama is extremely compelling
Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. specializes in pure “Chicago” style naturalistic theatre that has the actors reaching into the depths of their characters to garner all the emotional truth contained. Nothing expresses this style better than Thomas Babe’s 1977 drama, A Prayer For My Daughter. This is a most powerful, violent and psychologically driven work set in a 1970’s police squad room in Manhattan. (Terrific realistic set design by Grant Sabin.)
Two veteran detectives on the midnight shift have arrested two petty criminals for the robbery/murder of an old Jewish lady dry cleaning shop owner. Sergeant Kelly (Karl Potthoff) wants his partner, Jack Delasante (Paul Joseph) to help find the shooter in a quick beat-them-into-talking scenario thus allowing the detectives to go home before sunrise. The two suspects, Sean (Ron Wells) is the older mean gay street thug and Jimmy (Garrett Matheson) is his ‘girl’ and fellow junky. The question is who was the shooter?
At once funny and moving, this taught drama is wonderfully crafted and excellently paced with superb ensemble performances. Director Si Osborne has each actor reaching into the depths of their souls to portray the evil inherent contained. From Kelly’s amoral hard drinking use of violence and intimation as police procedures to Delasante’s shooting heroine with the suspects, we see how the nature of good verses evil and conflicting loyalties play out in the search for truth and justice. Exactly who represents evil sure gets tested as we see the cops crossing the line. The junkies have their say in this smartly plotted drama. The psychological gamesmanship is filled with each character’s search for redemption in their world filled with evil events.
I especially appreciated the play as it allowed each character the chance to vent their angst as we grow to understand their world view. The tactics of the detectives become confused and complicated with the unpredictable events from the interrogations. This play is filled with shattering and violent episodes that makes us wonder who the perps really are? The callousness and internal struggles of each character are fully realized in several emotionally wrenching scenes that almost defy belief. This is powerful, in-your-face theatre that grabs you and keeps you involved until it ends. I was enthralled throughout. You’d be hard pressed to see stronger acting that witnessed by the work of Potthoff, Joseph, Wells and Matheson.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2007
Jeff Recommended
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