Wintertime

By Charles L. Mee

Directed by Chris Pomeroy

Produced by Reverie Theatre Company

At Live Bait Theatre

3914 N. Clark

Chicago, IL

Call 312-409-6501, tickets $15 - $20

Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8:15 PM

Sundays at 3:15 PM

Running time 2 hrs, 10 min with intermission

Through December 18, 2005

Wintertime emerges as a whacked-out funny show

Reverie Theatre is devoted to doing shows that contain “love, in all its forms.” Wintertime sure stretches that dictate. It is a goofy, thrilling, wild spoof of relationships. It is funny, even silly yet it does speak to our need for understanding and acceptance as it dramatizes our lack of communication with one another.

When Jonathan ( Steven Eheart) and Ariel (Ashley Bagot) arrive in their summer home for a Christmas holiday encounter, they discover Jonathan’s mother, Maria (Deanna Boyd) is there with her lover, Francois (Matt Yde), who isn’t Jonathan’s father. Next, the father, Frank (James D. Farruggio) arrives with his boyfriend, Edmund (Scott Olson). The group must deal with each other as they struggle with their relationships as issues such as trust, honesty and commitment are debated in a zany wild emotionally hilarious series of encounters. Mee has a knack for off-the–wall characters who do unpredictable things.

Full of physical comedy, shouting and stinging retorts, Wintertime is an adventure worth taking. Mee weaves each couple with enough trauma to make them interesting. Add the old lesbian couple and the philosophy spouting deliver man (Scott Hamilton Westerman at his comic finest), and Wintertime come across as a surprisingly effective play that has layers of meanings and worthy messages hidden amongst all the craziness. We have fun watching a door mounted on  rollers that each angry character takes special pleasure slamming as hard as they can several times in a vain effort to vent their frustrations.

The over-the-top situations work to mask the truths Mee is presenting.  When Mee gets too preachy, he spices up the play with physical comedy or an unexpected situation. This mad house is full of clever bits and terrific performances. Matt Yde is hoot as Francois the womanizer, Steven Eheart as the son and Scott Hamilton Westerman add wacky touches to this weirdly pleasing show. Deanna Boyd and Ashely Bagot add fine moments.

Wintertime is a kooky show that can be taken lightly as it delivers a fresh comic take on love, desire and communicating with relations. I enjoyed this well produced vaudevillian farce.

Recommended

Tom Williams

Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments

Chicago Stage Talk Radio Show

This show is eligible for a C.S.T. Non-Equity Theatre Award

November 12, 2005