Tamara Anderson, Josh Johnson, Melissa diLeonardo and Malcolm Callan/Photo: Sebastian Aguirre
Joshua Aaron Weinstein’s ode to economic apocalypse reduces the world to its fundamentals and discusses what happens when those basics disappear. Unfortunately, the piece’s flawed narrative collapses; structure’s pretty fundamental.
The piece works as a reminder of the litany of things we lose without our purchasing power. But the main storyline feels tacked on and is divulged when it’s too late to develop. The multimedia falls flat; the garbled audio obscures the storyline and destroys the dramatic tension created in the live text.
The ensemble dredges some good moments out of the ruins. Noah Lepawsky scores as the piece’s holy fool; Malcolm Callan’s brutish landlord seems happy to abandon civility. Brian P. Cicirello captures the irritating voice of compassion; Earliana McLaurin amuses as the smarmy voice of governmental intervention that everyone needs but resents. But the strong performances can’t save a show with a structure that crumbles by the curtain. (Lisa Buscani)
LiveWire Chicago Theatre at the Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western, (312)533-4666, through April 4.
