Nina Metz

Six very successful years at the Chopin Theatre notwithstanding, Collaboraction’s Sketchbook 7 has moved east to the boxy confines of the Steppenwolf Garage, which boasts a high-profile name and a tony neighborhood. There are some key advantages to this new locale: exposure, obviously, but also a space (just a large room, really) that perhaps better accommodates the original idea of Sketchbook, a festival of mini-plays that its producers always hoped would upend what is essentially a sedentary experience for audiences. A raucous enthusiasm, though, seems to be missing, and I think some of that has to do with the venue itself.

Unlike the Chopin’s soaring dimensions, the ceiling here is low and squat, which has a flattening effect. That joyous, bursting-at-the-seams activity feels dampened. But not so much that the festival is unrecognizable—the appealing casualness of the event and all-out energy driving it remains as a much needed antidote to the general rules of theater. And it is accomplished with more panache than any other local theater event I can think of.

So, some raves and some complaints.

This year, minus a traditional proscenium, the company is free to stage each play anywhere within the Garage’s concrete boundaries—an artistic freedom more intriguing in theory than practice. In site-specific works, that perform-anywhere conceit thrives because both actors and audiences interact with an unexpected environment. But the Garage is plainly a performance space and the interactive vibe has to be generated artificially. (Tiny mirror shards hang suspended from the ceiling, catching light as they spin on the air currents, creating tiny spotlights on the floor.) Without a defined playing space, the works lose some potency.

And how about sight-lines? Arc-shaped wooden benches are scattered throughout. The producers want you to get up, move around, change seats. There are some stacked platforms you can perch on (which I recommend), but for the most part, available seating is all on the same plain, which means obscured views.

That is a shame, because there is some excellent work on display. The festival is divided into two programs (A & B). Here are the stand-outs.

Program A: "We Came Here Because It’s Beautiful," by Stephen Cone (directed by Mark Fleischer): A young bride flush with innocence has an encounter with an eccentric old coot, played with hilarious complexity by Peggy Roeder. "Boat at Sea," by Emily Schwartz (directed by Jen Ellison): A dithering trio sits in a lifeboat, contemplating their fate in proper British accents. The piece is almost Monty Python-esque. "Autobiography," by Sean Graney (directed by Joel Moorman): The lifespan of a 1976 pale green Dodge Dart is memorialized through the testimonials of its various owners. One of the best of the fest, the piece features radio snippets that travel through time along with the story: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lionel Richie, Def Leppard. Perfect.

Program B: "Deep Blue Sea," by Keith Huff (directed by Seth Bockley): Riffing on every deep-sea movie cliché there is, a pair of scientists (the hilariously deadpan Cary Cronholm and Guy Massey) float in the underwater darkness, communicating via scuba mics. "Szinhaz," by Itamar Moses (directed by Jeremy Wechsler): A faux talk show between a theater director from Budapest (Steve Pickering, in sunglasses and leather jacket) and his accommodating interviewer and translator (Isabel Liss, in a coral suit with large gold buttons.) The piece is funny (the broken English, the heavy Hungarian accents) and ultimately devastating. "It’s About Time," by Mara Casey (directed by Anthony Moseley): A woman checks into a motel room, and never checks out. A mini-noir, every move she makes is articulated by the narrator: "She studies herself in the mirror, then reapplies her lipstick." The most complete play of the festival, it suggests an entire mood and backstory in just a few minutes.

Sketchbook 2007 runs at The Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 North Halsted, (312)335-1650, through July 1.

(2007-06-05)

Also by Nina Metz

Late-night Laughs
There is a certain on-stage decorum at Second City that tends to buff down the rough edges of comedy. Maybe that is what prime-time crowds expect. Things are looser and not so aggressively clever a few miles north at i.O.
(2007-05-29)

Tip of the Week
Rolin Jones' play from 2005 might be the only finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in drama that includes the line, "Fuck you too, Mr. Arm." So it has that going for it
(2007-03-13)

Tip of the Week
One of the best shows of 2007--is it too early to say that?--might just be this little play about broads, booze and boneheaded moments
(2007-01-09)

Tip of the Week
Despite the subject matter, this might be the most joyous show from the Neo-Futurists in years
(2006-08-29)

Tip of the Week
(2006-08-15)

Tip of the Week
(2006-07-25)

Tip of the Week
(2006-06-30)

Backstage
(2006-06-06)

Tip of the Week
(2006-01-31)

Tip of the Week
(2005-12-27)

Tip of the Week
(2005-12-06)

Tip of the Week
(2005-09-06)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment