Wait Until Dark at Court

Knott’s 1966 thriller, in which a recently blinded woman, Susy Hendrix (Gavino), is harassed in her home by a trio of con men, holds up well in Parson’s stylish revival. The playwright was a meticulous plotter; if we allow for the generous suspension of disbelief that a suspense caper like this requires—why would a thug as ruthlessly amoral as the ringleader Roat (a terrifically chilly Hoogenakker) bother with such an elaborate ruse?—the story is relatively airtight.

Delfos Danza

At Columbia Dance Center:

















"Recognized as one of the most important contemporary dance companies in Latin America, Delfos is known for their fully articulated, high-energy style, fast and free of constraint. Delfos brings an exciting program of five works to The Dance Center. Solo y Mi Alma (Alone and My Soul), is a “serenely hectic, puredance” (The New York Times) by Claudia Lavista, creating corporeal calligraphy to the wailing music of Meredith Monk. Bolero, by Claudia Lavista and Victor Manuel Ruiz, is an energetic dance set to the seductive Bolero of Maurice Ravel. The Delfos dancers fly with amazing finesse to the deeply spiritual music of Antonio Vivaldi in Omar Carrum’s Nisi Dominus. La Frontera de Mi Piel (The Border of My Skin) by Xitlali Pina pushes the limits of emotional violence and madness, and Entre Sueños Y Flores (Between Dreams and Flowers) by Víctor Manuel Ruiz evokes eternity, tenderness and mortality."

Niece Ms. M in town for a quick visit

We had a nice brunch at Orange.

Our Town at Lookingglass

So, did we really think we came to Chicago to see two productions of Our Town in a year? And that Ross from "Friends" would be playing George Gibbs? Hmmm....

St. Paddy's at MNM Redux

Another fine St. Pat's celebration with MNM and friends.

There was wonderful food.












Irish trivia and lore. (Yes, there's an app for that.)













And wonderful readings, concluding with MNM reading from Finnigan's Wake.

Orlando

Ms. S was in Orlando for work and Mr. P mostly sat by the pool. And took in a Braves spring training game.

Scottish Play and Rose and Rime House Benefit

A modern dress Scottish Play at Chicago Shakes.










And then off the Chopin for the House Theatre's Rose and Rime.

Naha for National Restaurant Week

A very nice meal at Naha during National Restaurant Week.

Mr. K. and Ms. L and the AIC

We had a very nice day with our friends--morning at the Art Institute, not trying to do too much, and then lunch at the Gage. We love Chicago.

Takacs Quartet at Mandel

It was another Hyde Park Day of sorts. We got tickets for Takacs to celebrate Fiddle, but Ms. S came early for a discussion of the Politics of Identity with Adolph Reed and Cathy Cohen. The Takacs sure wiggled during the Bartok.

Sweet William and Valentine's

Saw a very nice production at Chicago Shakespeare and had a nice Valentine's dinner at home.




















"A large-spirited salute to the Bard, Michael Pennington’s one-man show is a perfect blend of biography, analysis and performance. Pennington’s career as one of Britain’s leading Shakespearean actors spans more than 40 years, including some 20,000-plus hours onstage performing Shakespeare for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and his own award-winning English Shakespeare Company."

Book Club: Strangers on a Train

We hosted. Beyond the discussion and the book, the highlight was making pimento cheese sandwiches.

Seafarer at Steppenwolf

From Time Out Chicago review:

"It’s Christmas Eve, and middle-aged loser Sharky is doing his best to stay sober and look after his literally blind-drunk older brother Richard. Their buddy Ivan keeps accidentally having a few pints too many to avoid his unhappy marriage. When Sharky’s frenemy Nicky shows up for a poker game with a new acquaintance in tow, the stakes are higher than you’d think.

....And oh, what an ensemble: The interplay among Francis Guinan’s self-loathing Sharky, John Mahoney’s blithely selfish Richard and Tom Irwin’s smooth-talking Mr. Lockhart grounds the play in moral realism. The powerhouse acting displayed by Arney’s cast infuses McPherson’s fable, even with the playwright’s pat twist ending that’s visible from miles away, with an urgency that has us on the edge of our seats."

Boulder

Fiddle, RIP, 1918-2009