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Bus Stop
By William Inge
Directed by Rick Snyder
At Writers’ Theatre
325 Tudor Court
Glencoe, IL
Call 847-242-6000, tickets $45 - $57
Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 PM
Saturdays 5 & 8 PM
Sundays at 2:30 & 6 PM
Running time 2 hrs. 20 min. with 2 intermissions
Through March 26, 2006
Bus Stop worth the ride to Glencoe
Director Rick Snyder and his design team have mounted a set (designed by Jack Magaw) that becomes a time-warp back into 1950’s with a roadside diner complete with the aromas of ham and eggs! William Inge, a contemporary, friend and rival of Tennessee Williams, gave us a realistic look at the Midwest heartland with plays such as Come Back, Little Sheba and Picnic each set in 1950’s. Inge’s talent lies in his ability to create well-rounded small town common folks. Director Rick Snyder and Writers’ Theatre have cast a terrific ensemble each of whom land their characters with realism and depth.
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This authentic reflection of the Midwest, small-town life is set in a roadside diner in Kansas (circa 1955) where a busload of travelers are stranded in a March snowstorm. We meet the young waitress, Elma (Linsey Page Morton oozing naiveté and pure idealism) and the proprietor Grace (Penny Slucher) as they prepare for the next bus load of travelers. Will Masters (Mick Weber), the local sheriff arrives for his nightly coffee and announces that the roads will soon be closed due to the blizzard.
The bus contains a blond nightclub performer, Cherie (Suzanne Lang), who is desperately afraid of the cowboy who has strong-armed her onto the bus from Kansas City toward his Montana ranch where he intends to marry her. Bo, (Cliff Chamberlain) who goes from macho raging bully to apologizing gentlemen in a marvelous performance highlight this romantic comedy ripe with slice-of-life realism. The scenes where Bo and Cherie’s courtship blossoms once Bo calms down frames the piece. The bus driver Carl (Jamie Vann) pines for Grace and they connect when she goes upstairs to rest and Carl takes a walk in the snow.
We see how the college professor, Dr. Lyman (William Brown in a riveting performance), the Shakespeare-quoting snob deftly attempts to seduce the young waitress Elma, whose idealism makes her vulnerable to his sophisticated charm. Virgil (Paul Noble) is a mentor/buddy to Bo and is the typical stoic cowboy complete with a worn ten-gallon hat.
The dynamics of Inge’s well structured play allows each character to express their dreams, hopes and their loneliness as we see their desperation and yearning played out overnight marooned at the diner. Filled with gripping and fluid dialogue, Bus Stop is an engaging work so filled with empathetic characters that we willingly escape into the world of 1950 Kansas. I wanted to order two eggs scrambled with rye toast.
The tight direction and the outstanding performances together with Inge’s rich characters make this classic a fulfilling night at the theatre. I especially liked Brown’s Dr. Lyman, Cliff Chamberlain’s Bo and Linsey Page Morton’s Elma. Seeing Bus Stop come to life reminds one of just how excellent Inge was as a storyteller.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcast
Date Reviewed January 31, 2006
Jeff Recommended
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