The Plays are the things

[C K Dexter Haven]

We've recently (last few years) been going to some of the small theaters that Chicago has in abundance. If you're into such, I've got some recent recommendations (we live in the north suburbs, so we tend to go to theatres on the north side.)

-TAMING OF THE SHREW at the No Exit Cafe on North Glenwood. Cost is $20 per seat, you can get dinner for another $20. The cast is fantastic, it's one of the liveliest, bounciest, slapstickest Shakespeare we've seen. And cheap! They're on a stage in a storefront cafe, the windows are opened during the show and the actors sometimes interact with the passersby. A real wow, very fun!

- HAMPSTEAD HOOLIGAN IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT at the BoHo Theatre, also on North Glenwood. This is a re-do of Mark Twain's CONNECTICUT YANKEE, played as bordering on theatre of the absurd, although claiming "commedid dell'arte" format. 'Twas great fun, many many laughs.

- TREASURE ISLAND is playing at Lifeline Theatre. We're seeing it next week, but we've really enjoyed the Lifeline shows, we actually subscribe to their series.

Anybody else into small theatre around Chicago with any recommendations.

[C K Dexter Haven]

Hmmm. I'll bump this once and try again. We saw MAN OF LA MANCHA at No Exit Cafe the other night, and it was terrific... including casting a woman as Cervantes/Quixote. Great singing, great staging, moving at all the right parts, funny at all the right parts.