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On My Parents’ One Hundredth Wedding Anniversary
By Jesse Weaver
At The Side Studio
1520 W. Jarvis
Chicago, IL
Call 773-973-2150, tickets $15 (2 for 1 Thursdays)
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 7 pm
Running time is 85 minutes without intermission
Through May 11, 2008
This provocative memory play haunts us
Directed by Matt Hawkins and written by Jesse Weaver, On My Parents’ One Hundredth Wedding Anniversary is an 85 minute one-act memory play long on fine acting and a tad short on writing. From the promising premise that involves a couple celebrating their 100th wedding anniversary by performing a sketch theatrical presentation of their life story, this play has its moments but ultimately it leaves us wondering what happen in their lives after the one defining moment?
Lev (Michael E. Smith) is the man who found his bride in rural France in 18blah-blah. Katja(Jessica Hudson) was a want-to-be dancer who practices her movements in the sulfur springs. The sketch starts with the 100+ year old couple slowly walking on to the stage. Lev with a female puppet and Katja with a notebook. Smith and Hudson deftly depicted two old folks at the show’s beginning. Once the sketch begins, The Woman (Mickey Crocker) narrates the show. We realize that she is the couple’s child.
The story of the couple’s life starts out as a funny, nostalgic memory play that turns upside down as Katja re-wrote the old sketch that has been performed on their anniversary for decades. Katja finally has had enough of living the lies about her life. We see her real life story slowly moving away from the mythic story presented in the sketch. We learn that she was taken by Lev to Paris to train to be a lead dance in the ballet company Lev runs. When Katja becomes pregnant, Lev becomes interested both sexually and professionally in an Italian ballerina as Katja’s replacement. We become aware of Katja bitterness toward Lev. We learn the truth of their relationship.
The play never deals with the question of why it took Katja so long to confront Lev? There needs to be a further explanation as to why their marriage lasted so long. The three actors did yeomen work as both elderly and younger folks. This world premiere is worth a look.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2008
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