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Our Bad Magnet
By Douglas Maxwell
Directed by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia
Produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.
At Angel Island
735 W. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-0442 www.ticketweb.com
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 7 pm
Running time is 1 hour, 40 minutes with intermission
Through December 22, 2008
Childhood fantasies produce an adult mystery for three rural Scottish lads
Director Carlo Lorenzo Garcia from Mary-Arrchie Theatre found four young adult actors adapt at playing nine year-olds, teens and adults for his entertaining production of Scottish playwright Douglas Maxwell’s Our Bad Magnet. The play is located on the west coast of Scotland in a rural village near cliffs. Three nine year-old pals begrudgingly befriend a sadly troubled boy who never smiles or laughs but has a talent for storytelling. Alan (John Wilson), Fraser (Dan Behrendt) and Paul (Layne Manzer) have fun acting out Giggles’ (Kevin V. Smith) magical, often fable-like fairy tales. Much dark humor pours out from these stories. We witness the effects of isolation, child abuse and mental illness on these children.
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Spanning two decades, Our Bad Magnet moves from childhood to the teen years as the four now search for sex and fame and glory by forming a rock band as a way out from the doldrums of their village. Alan, Fraser and Paul decide that Giggles must be removed from the band. Several mysterious events occur that shakes the crew. Flash foreword another ten years where Alan and Paul summon Fraser to the village in order to piece together the circumstances that led to the mystery of what happened to Giggles? Is he dead or missing? Why did he leave all his stories to these three guys? 
Douglas Maxwell cleverly weaves back and forth through the three timelines to present a darkly funny and poignantly moving drama. This suspenseful work is a fresh take on childhood bonding and its effects on shaping the adults we become. Despite the up and down Scottish brogues, this cast deftly moved from little boys to teens to adults producing innocent charm, teen angst and adult trauma. John Wilson and Kevin V. Smith were particularly strong. For a well done off-beat drama, Our Bad Magnet will attract. Mary-Arrchie Theatre continues to mount stage worthy plays.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November28, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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