Scott Oken and Brittany Ellis/Photo: Michael Courier
RECOMMENDED
Imagine a world as dysfunctional as our own but populated by talking animals and a messiah named Captain Steve, who comes down every couple of weeks or so to make everything right. His magical presence births countless songs, each one sappier than the last. He also attends to the little things, such as smoothing over broken marriages and brokering a truce between the birds and cats. Life in the Caring Kingdom is so groovy, in fact, that the town’s bumbling, overfed bear vomits rainbows. And then the unimaginable happens. The messiah dies. Worse, it seems that the magic elixir he took in order to shrink himself was chock-full of opiates. That’s right, Captain Steve was high as a kite. And with his passing a power vacuum opens that is quickly filled with blood.
There is much to like in the strangely hypnotic “Captain Steve’s Caring Kingdom.” Mike Ooi (playwright and director) populates the stage with an abundance of memorable characters that include a depressed and serious-minded elephant (Brittany Ellis) who is frustrated by her husband’s inability to be more present in their lives. Much of the play’s charm is in watching her husband, the “OK Bear” (Scott OKen), transform from Care Bear reject to someone willing to kill in order to protect his family. Other key characters include a brooding falcon (Chris Hainsworth), a sinister turtle (Michael Reyes at his creepy best) and a mobster monkey pirate ready to take on the king (Christopher M. Walsh in both roles). Together these characters roam a rich and theatrical world that is part Dr. Seuss, part “Peyton Place” and in the end, a bit “Goodfellas.”
The play could benefit from a more defined backstory as it never makes clear the relationship this mythical land has to the small screen. Pre-show, the audience is subjected to a numbing loop of sugary kid shows. The last video seen includes snippets from what appears to be the television production of the Caring Kingdom. Should it be assumed then that we are witnessing on stage the “E! True Hollywood” version of the same show? The script never alludes to this possibility which is a shame as it would have allowed the characters to experience a “Truman Show” like existential crisis.
This play is not for everyone and definitely not for children. At the same time, it offers a dark and humorous take on what for many is a safe, sacred territory. With or without Captain Steve, the Caring Kingdom is a place worth visiting. The lessons learned, however, would make Mr. Rogers blush. (Noel Schecter)
The Factory Theater, 1623 West Howard, thefactorytheater.com, $10-$25. Through December 9.
Related Stories
Giveth and Taketh: A Review of Prophet$ at The Factory Theater Too affectionate to be satire and too broad to be drama, this world premiere can’t decide what it is or what, if anything, it believes.- Gritty Pulp: A Review of The Darkness After Dawn at Factory Theater Leaning into the conventions of classic noir, The Factory Theater offers this bloody, violent tale of crooked cops and sideways plots.
- Flips But Falls Flat: A Review of Fight City at The Factory Theater According to this world, women rule in 2077 with all the violence and corruption that plagues us today.
- Are Stars Made or Born? A Review of Born Ready at The Factory Theater What becomes of a child star when they’ve outgrown their childhood? Are some actors just naturally gifted? Or is it all about the hustle, the climb to the top, pushing aside anyone who stands in the way? “Born Ready,” a world premiere written by Stacie Barra and directed by Wm. Bullion, takes place in the era of “I Love Lucy.”…
- The Endless Temporary: A Review of Beyond Caring at Lookingglass Theatre Company RECOMMENDED What's the poorest you've ever been? While the majority of us (although by no means all) will have experienced lean times in our lives, our various safety nets (savings, investments, education, skin color, parents and relatives) have shielded many of us from the prison of poverty. And what do we make of those who occupy that largely invisible realm? Sadly,…
- Fulfilling Destiny: Chicago Latino Theater Alliance's International Theater Festival Connects Globally And Focuses Locally The inaugural theater festival celebrates the work of Latinx artists from around the world with a special emphasis on local theater companies.
