Writing in the Windy City Times, critic Mary Shen Barnidge recently added her praise for Keely Haddad-Null's new adaptation of the classic tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Barnidge observes, “Most retellings of this popular parable soften the satire, but director Carolyne Anderson rejects easy escape routes, instructing her actors to play their roles with never a wink or snicker. The dialogue, forged from contemporary buzz-vocabulary, is delivered with deadpan solemnity, right down to the inspirational oratory—"We are living the American Dream!"—spewed forth with evangelical fervor by the city's chief official, clad in nothing but tan lines. Meg Elliot projects mischievous charm as the trickster tailor (who keeps her clothes on—specifically, Emily Beaudin's enchanting gown-of-many-colors), Don Claudin and Miona Harris are a delightfully clueless First Couple, while Mary Roberts, David Bettino and Taylor Entwistle comprise the deliciously amoral trio of civil servants.”
Pete Guither’s extremely popular “living canvas” performance concept has become a Chicago tradition over the past several years, and this year’s installment titled Living Canvas – Demons has been drawing praise from critics. Paige Listerud from the Chicago Theater Blog recently echoed the praise of other Chicago critics cited here in previous posts. Of Guither’s show, she writes, “The community formed by the performers and audience around each new story or theme evokes a “happening” in the style of the 60s. At the end of the show, performers talk about their personal evolution in body consciousness after performing under Guither’s projections in the nude and then audience members are invited onstage to partake of the experience. It’s nice to see so many in the audience take up the invitation and allow their human bodies to have a greater range of expression than most art usually permits.”
These shows seem to be a perfect fit for the performance space at the National Pastime Theater. Elayne LeTraunik, NPT publicist, sums up the experience: “Enter through the historic storefront, past the years of smoky haze into the authentic speakeasy turned theater where the debaucherous scandals of the past give life to the art of today. Excitement is palpable, temptation extreme. No other theater in Chicago can offer such libidinous exploitation of your senses. Where else but The National Pastime Theater lives the promise of the impossible?”
More information about the Naked July Festival and links to the online ticket system are available on the festival web site. Start your evening with the witty and entertaining Emperor’s New Clothes and then stay for Living Canvas – Demons and immerse yourself in an amazing and unforgettable multimedia experience. If the spirit moves you at the end of the evening, you are invited to strip away your inhibitions, join the cast onstage, and become a “living canvas” yourself. Be sure to catch these great shows before they close in two weeks.
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