Magic is based on illusions and bungled perceptions, and perhaps the same is true of relationships. But the metaphor feels unfinished in Rinne Groff’s “Orange Lemon Egg Canary,” about a hipster magician (House Theatre’s Dennis Watkins) and his new girlfriend-cum-assistant, a self-possessed modern gal (Laura Hopper) who is suspiciously persistent about learning all her man’s secrets. The play, which includes some bits of magic, is actually quite thin—the greatest illusion of all is accomplished by Uma Productions artistic director Mikhael Tara Garver, who assembles a show that actually feels like more than it is. There’s no there there—the central couple remains an enigma throughout—but who cares? The production (which includes a killer performance from Anne Adams as a super-sassy magician’s assistant from the past) is a good time no matter how you look at it. That’s some trick. (Nina Metz)
A Fan’s Gotta Do: A Review of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog at Black Button Eyes Productions “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” the quirky three-part musical web series about the sad machinations of a supervillain, displayed an early example of what entertainment on the Internet could look like. Now, with Black Button Eyes Productions that 2008 “classic” has hit the stages of Chicago to benefit Season of Concern.
