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Things We Said Today
A collection of seven short works
By Neil LaBute
“Stand-Up” directed by Carla Russell
“Land of the Dead” directed by Benjamin Thiem
“Love at Twenty” directed by Sarah Franklin
“Coax” directed by Darrell W. Cox
“Persuasion Paper 101” directed by Hans Fleischmann
“I Love This Game” directed by Todd Lahrman
“Things We Said Today” directed by Darrell W. Cox
At Profiles Theatre
4147 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL
Call 773-549-1815, tickets $25
Wednesdays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 4 pm
Sundays at 4 pm
Running time is 1 hour, 50 minutes with intermission
Through December 16, 2007
Provocative collection of short one acts both funny and disturbing
Profiles Theatre loves Neil LaBute plays and they do his weird, zany and troubled plays justice. Profiles Theatre, under the leadership of Darrell W. Cox and Joe Jahraus, specialize in gritty, sensual and raw “Chicago Style” theatre. This collection of LaBute short plays features his cutting edge humor among the lost and emotionally sick characters in the shadowy depths of the human heart. You’ll be fully engaged as you wonder what will happen next. Filled with terrific acting, this collection of LaBute one-acts, unfolds uniquely perplexing. I enjoyed the fresh, yet weird take LaBute covers in the shadows.
In “Stand-Up,” featuring Greg Wenz, we meet the corporate clown trying to make it as a stand-up comic. His self-depreciating act features an insecure comic who elicits sympathy as he apparently struggles to be funny. That is his ploy to win our hearts. He then confesses to being gay—but is that a ploy too? Is he really just a nasty fellow?
In ”Land of the Dead,” Eric Burgher plays a young corporate type who has a hang-over and an early breakfast with his boss while his girl Megan Brown, struggles with the trauma of going to a clinic to abort her pregnancy. The man seems blasé and the woman is amazingly cold about the decision. We hear a loud airplane roar and realize that it could be a 911 event. The rest is riveting.
“Love at Twenty,” with Maggie Liston, is a monologue that features a colleges bimbo who is having an affair with one of her professors. She finds out that he is cheating on her with his wife. The raw humor and misguided logic is a hoot.
“Coax,” features Paul Jaquith as the slick, charming man on a blind date. He speaks directly to the audience telling us that he is NOT an actor playing a part or is he? He meets the innocent girl, Somer Benson, on the blind date. Things are strange as we begin to suspect the man’s real motives. This creepy one-act could be all too real. Are serial killers really that charming? Or is he just a smooth operator? You be the judge.
“Persuasion Paper 101,” enacts a college girl giving her last oral report in a speech class. This very funny bit features Lisa Cordileone explaining the ‘Five Reasons Guys Suck Ass’ as her last oral report. You’ll laugh heartedly.
“I Love This Game”, with Todd Lahrman, is a bleak look at a guy who loves both baseball and his son. We find out several strange things that happen to him as a result of his being a batting coach. This work has a weird twist.
“Things We Said Today,” with Joe Jahraus and Michelle Courvas is a most troublesome work. The pregnant wife finally catches her husband having an affair with her sister. The man has a mater-of-fact rational explanation of his actions and motivations. This only infuriates the woman as her married world come tumbling down. Her reaction is quite disturbing. This work was clever and well acted.
The evening of Neil LuBute one-acts contains enough variety, surprises and humor to be engaging. You’ll realize that short works can be terrific theatre. Neil LaBute is a master story teller whose language is tense and stirring.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November 17, 2007
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