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Escanaba in Love
By Jeff Daniels
Directed by Chris Arnold
At Circle Theatre
7300 W. Madison Street
Forest Park, IL
Call 708-771-0700, www.circle-theatre.org
Tickets $26 ($2 discount for seniors/students) $20 Thursdays
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Special Thursdays at 8 pm Oct 2, 9, 16 & 23
Running time is 2 hours with intermission
Through October 23, 2008
More wacky UP folks hunt for deer and more
Stage and screen star Jeff Daniels penned the prequel to his hit comedy, “Escanaba in da Moonlight” presented at Circle Theatre in 2006 with a look back at how Big Betty Balou (Simone Roos) and Albert Soady, Jr. (Bradford R. Lund) fell in love in 1944. “Escanaba in Love” is a TV sitcom styled comedy is full of zany characters and raw small town humor that is sure to please casual theatre goers. This is a wacky, well timed and very funny show.
We meet the backwoods Upper Michigan Soady family members at their deer hunting cabin in the woods (terrific set design by Bob Knuth). Alphonse Soady (Jason Boat) sets comedic tone with his spouting that he shot the biggest deer ever. Boat is hilarious as the aging backwoodsman. The giant Albert Soady, Sr. (Tucker Curtis) is the leader of the Soady clan. He reminisces about his departed wife as an expert fisherman. He wants his son, Albert Soady, Jr. to be a deer hunter once again before he departs for World War II against the Germans. When the drunken’ Salty Jim Nagamanee (the fabulous Timpthy C. Amos) invites himself to the cabin, the drinking commences. Salty and the Soady’s have a love-hate thing going on. When Albert Jr. arrives to announce, at age 18, he has taken a wife—everything go manic. Albert Sr. thinks his son is too young to be married. Jr. wants to taste sex (and love) before he goes to war. Enter Big Betty Balou (Simone Roos) a hearty, tough as nails UP gal who has a wild past and a intimidating presence (and smell). The wild ride ensues as Jr. tries to convince his father that he is, indeed, in love despite the fact that he ‘won’ Big Betty in a kissing contest in a local bar.
Filled with distinct UP accents (think Fargo), “Escanaba in Love” is a sweet, harmless light weight comedy short on depth but long on quirky characters and a true love story about the love of a father towards his son; love by a man who misses his departed wife and a boy in love for the first time. The laughs are many, the comic timing is delightful and the reflection of basic Midwestern values—family, the land and the love of booze are apparent. Timothy C. Amos and Bradford R. Lund were especially excellent here. “Escanaba in Love” is a cute show filled with laughs that will especially delight those who enjoyed “Escanaba in da Moonlight.”
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2008
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