A lot of time was put into Sad Hat Productions inaugural production of writer/director Roell Schmidt’s “The Rotogravure.” The three-plus hours the audience has to sit through it is proof of that. They call it a cine play, a live performance and recorded video mashup that tells the story of a budding young love that could not feel less vital. The black-and-white video narrates the story of a guy and girl as fantastical interpretations of the mundane proceedings are enacted live in vivid color. I will say the costumes, by Alycia Barohn and Jennifer Tillery, are beautiful and there are some really clever theatrical devices used for transition. However, most of the cleverness is dampened by the overuse of spectacle moments and the seconds between transitions stretch on and on. Soon, very soon, it just gets obnoxious. The production didn’t damage me so bad that I’m not interested in seeing another of Sad Hat’s cine plays. But here’s some friendly advice: Do it in a smaller space. The Athenaeum mainstage ate your show up, and take the air out of it please. (William Scott) At The Athenaeum, 2936 North Southport, (312)902-1500. Through January 31.
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.
A lot of time was put into Sad Hat Productions inaugural production of writer/director Roell Schmidt’s “The Rotogravure.” The three-plus hours the audience has to sit through it is proof of that. They call it a cine play, a live performance and recorded video mashup that tells the story of a budding young love that could not feel less vital. The black-and-white video narrates the story of a guy and girl as fantastical interpretations of the mundane proceedings are enacted live in vivid color. I will say the costumes, by Alycia Barohn and Jennifer Tillery, are beautiful and there are some really clever theatrical devices used for transition. However, most of the cleverness is dampened by the overuse of spectacle moments and the seconds between transitions stretch on and on. Soon, very soon, it just gets obnoxious. The production didn’t damage me so bad that I’m not interested in seeing another of Sad Hat’s cine plays. But here’s some friendly advice: Do it in a smaller space. The Athenaeum mainstage ate your show up, and take the air out of it please. (William Scott)
