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Dante Dies!
(and then things get weird)
By Walt McGough
Directed by Jonathan L. Green
Produced by Sideshow Theatre Company
At Chicago Dramatist
1105 W. Chicago
Chicago, IL
Call 773-583-4317, tickets $15 - $10 for students/seniors
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 90 minutes without intermission
Through July 13, 2008
“Lying incidentally, is not a sin when done creatively.”
Engaging one man show delivers
Chicago, once again, is the new home for a talented group of performing artists, this time from Virginia. Playwright Walt McGough, director Jonathan L. Green, and Matt Fletcher are members of the fledgling Sideshow Theatre Company. “Dante Dies!! (and then things get weird)” is their first Chicago show. This one person show is an ambitious undertaking staring Matt Fletcher. It is a true tour de force for newcomer Matt Fletcher. He plays Dante and multiple roles in a dramatic work loosely based on Dante’s “Inferno. With clever props, smart characterizations of all the evil dregs in hell, Matt Fletcher is able to make terrific quick transitions from Dante to his nemeses and back again. He combines articulation with physicality in one energetic performance. He easily sounds and looks like each distinct character. Nice work.
Dante winds his way through the depths of hell in search of his lost love—Beatrice. His journey takes him through the hellacious landscape in search of his love and a self awareness that drives him. This show is funny and, at times, dark as Dante runs into an assortment of troubled souls. This show deals aptly with grieving and letting go of a lost love. Each adventure into the lower depths leads to a personal reckoning. Fletcher’s versatility allows him to become an amazing assortment of characters. While the show is a tad too long and seems to wander aimlessly at times, there is enough here to keep us engaged. This show is a fine first production from the promising new troupe—Sideshow Theatre Company. Welcome to Chicago!
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago Podcast
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2008
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