thehanslickgirls

July 9, 2017

Nearly One Hundred: The Hanslick Girls on “The Waa-Mu Show: Beyond Belief”

—Originally published May 8, 2017—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw “Beyond Belief,” the 86th Waa-Mu Show, and the fourth seen by all three girls. Let’s hear what they had to say the following day, after seeing the show…

Eleanor slumped down into the couch in the living room, glancing at her phone. It was a dull Monday evening, and she was procrastinating on midterms – as one did at that time, two weeks out from Dillo Day. The anxiety over her impending graduation was beginning to hit harder, and she was attempting to distract herself from the terror of the situation. She closed her phone, tossing her eyes to the ceiling, and around the room.

Through the door, she could just see into the next room. Gwen was hunched over her desk, poking at something with a pen and occasionally writing down something short.

July 9, 2017

Un Bel Dì: The Hanslick Girls Review Vertigo Productions’ “This Is Not A True Story”

—Originally published April 17, 2017—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw “This Is Not A True Story,” Preston Choi’s new play presented by Vertigo Productions. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

“I can only hope in writing this play I can offer some incarnation of these women a life they have choice in, a world where they decide their fate. I am flawed already by writing it, but I hope it is a better story.”

Those words, taken from the end of the Writer’s Note penned by Preston Choi in the program for this new play, had stuck with Eleanor throughout the performance. How strange it was, she considered, that this story of asian female empowerment was penned by a male author. But it was a clever admission, she considered, coupled with the play’s title. If it wasn’t a true story, certainly, at least it was a better one.

“That one was weird,” Dania said, as they walked across the quad away from Shanley.

July 9, 2017

To Love Birds: WAVE Productions’ “An Almanac for Farmers and Lovers in Mexico”

—Originally published April 3, 2017—

Meet the Hanslick Girls: Gwen, Eleanor and Dania. Created by writer Zach Barr, they are a trio of Northwestern students who always go to see plays together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw “An Almanac for Farmers and Lovers in Mexico,” WAVE Productions’ early spring pocket of magical realism. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

“Well,” said Gwen, as the applause in Shanley began to die down, “That was certainly something.”

“I liked it!” Eleanor said, cheerily. “I just love love, guys.”

“I’m more of a hummingbird fan, myself,” Dania added.

“Oh, you don’t like love?” Eleanor asked, incredulously.

Dania waved the question away. “Feh.”

Author / thehanslickgirls