XIII Pocket’s “Why We Come Here” looks at relationships through a series of sarcastic, sour vignettes that make you wonder if its characters long for love, or just something to do between drinks.
Leah (Laura Rook), a straight woman distrustful of love, and Terra (Caitlin McGlone), a sexually confident lesbian, swap romantic war stories at their favorite watering hole. The performers nail the punchlines but approach each relationship with a repetitive bitterness that wears.
Points for the new company’s decision to debut with original work and to set the site-specific piece in a real bar. Mary’s Attic provides an accurate, albeit overly lavender atmosphere; but Stephen Louis Grush’s staging could use the space more effectively. Playwright Megan McGlone’s sharp ear for funny dialogue can’t hide her flawed story arc; conflict development occurs in odd places and her well-written ending is abrupt. It’s an uneven first try; but keep trying. (Lisa Buscani)
“Why We Come Here,” XIII Pocket, Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark. Through August 28.
Toxic: A Review of Poison at The Plagiarists The real poison at work here isn’t strychnine or hemlock, it’s a dreary self-seriousness that leaches the play of any hint of wit, humor and humanity.
Not Without A Fight: A Review of "Relentless" at TimeLine Theatre Though the characters in "Relentless" are educated and well-to-do, they are far from reserved in world view—their rage seethes, hidden only by the comfort of their surroundings and the decorum of their lives.
XIII Pocket’s “Why We Come Here” looks at relationships through a series of sarcastic, sour vignettes that make you wonder if its characters long for love, or just something to do between drinks.
