Chekhov never said that a box cutter introduced in the first act should wind up in someone’s jugular, but maybe he would have been driven to such extremes if he’d spent enough time trapped in the soulless exurban setting of Angus Maclachlan’s “The Radiant Abyss.” Maclachlan’s play begins with sex, ends with violence, and in between devotes a fair amount of histrionic speechifying to religious fundamentalism and the general decline of the world into anarchy. The antiheroic saga of security guard Steve Enloe (Eric Burgher) three-timing his ditzy and overworked girlfriend Ina (Whitney Schaffer) with manipulative property manager Erin (Carolyn Klein) and an unseen fifteen-year-old, “The Radiant Abyss” leavens its Mamet lite with murky suggestions about a new church encroaching upon Erin’s strip-mall fiefdom. Director Darrell Cox keeps the pace moving swiftly in Profile Theatre’s production, while Klein blends a chilly authority with barely suppressed rage in her portrayal of Erin. But the play is hampered by its essential silliness and the casual brutality of its characters. Its labored attempts at shock deliver only a muted impression, because the action on stage, for all its brand-name efforts at realism, never achieves more than a passing resemblance to the behavior of real people. (John Beer)
This production is now closed.
Related Stories
Impressive Arrival: A Review of Yerma at Theatre Y and Red Tape Theatre This co-production with Red Tape Theatre marks a mature and invigorating new phase for Theatre Y.
Good History: A Review of A Home on the Lake at Piven Theatre Workshop and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre Piven Theatre Workshop and Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre co-produce this place-based world premiere about Evanston's racially-charged history.
A Long Time Coming: A Review of Caroline, Or Change at Firebrand Theatre & TimeLine Theatre Company Firebrand Theatre and TimeLine Theatre Company co-produce this stirring revival with book and lyrics by Tony Kushner and music by Jeanine Tesori.
Once Again And Better Than Ever: A Review of Once at Paramount Theatre The Tony Award-winning musical gets its regional premiere at Paramount Theatre in Aurora.
Them/Us/All: A Review of Self-Accusation at Theatre Y Beyond the window, the show is happening.
Nearly But Not Quite: A Review of She Loves Me at Marriott Theatre Miklós László's play “Parfumerie” continues to give birth to charming, heartfelt comedies where the leading characters are of an everyman quality, allowing audiences from the multiple social strata of life to see a reflection of themselves as the leading lady and man fall in love with each other, despite obstacles presented by fate and the miscalculation and manipulation of others,…
