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Book of Days
By Lanford Wilson
Directed by Michael Menendian
At Raven Theatre
6157 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL
Call 773-338-2177, tickets $25
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time 2 hrs 20 min with intermission
Through May 28, 2006
Small town Mid-America life aptly captured with by strong ensemble work
Landford Wilson’s saga of small town middle America, Book of Days (1999) comes to life on a terrific set (designed by director Michael Menendian) with three levels nicely creating a visual of a Midwest small town in a wonderful production now playing at Raven Theatre. Featuring the entire cast acting as a group narrator with each of the 12 members speaking a line or two of narrative, Book of Days unfolds in a series of vignettes of two families in Dublin, Missouri, population 5,000.
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Wilson’s peek into the ways of small town, Midwest America is pure George Bush country complete with conservative right-wing Christianity, enough greed and hypocrisy to make a liberal cringe. I like this play with its non-stereotypical characters that appear to be slightly above soap opera personas. Filled with terrific performers, lead by Greg Caldwell, as the womanizer James, Jonathan Nichols, as the pompous preacher and Tucker Curtis as the simple-minded Earl together with stellar work from Cora Vander Broek at Ruth, this interesting show mirrors rural America morality.
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We meet the Hoch’s, Len, played by Seth Remington, his intuitive wife Ruth, (Cora Vander Broek) and the Bates family lead by Walt, played with conviction by Bill Mages, his wife Sharon, the intense JoAnn Montemurro. Walt owns the cheese factory that Len runs. Len convinces Walt to let him develop premium-aged cheese. Ruth is a community theatre actress playing Joan in Shaw’s classic under the direction of Boyd, a Tony Nominated director, played by Thomas Herman. This series of sketches eventually emerges as Wilson’s look at the effects of conservative Christianity on the rural life. Without giving away key plot elements, Book of Days unfolds as a chilling, believable snapshot of lust, greed, religious fervor, personal integrity and group influences in a 21st Century Our Town-like play—all the elements we go to see plays to experience.
This is hauntingly real story that stirs up the cancer America still suffers with the narrow-minded religious ethic contaminating rural life. This show unfolds smoothly, promises much and delivers plenty. Director Michael Menendian orchestrates the vignettes into a compellingly powerful show. This is a smart work with terrific acting lead by Cora Vander Broek and Greg Caldwell and the entire ensemble makes this show pack a wallop. It makes me glad I grew up in Chicago. Put Book of Days on your ‘must see” list—it’s better than a trip to a small rural Missouri
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcast
Date Reviewed April 8, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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