Play | The Hanslick Girls

July 9, 2017

Cast Off Idols: The Wirtz Center’s “Agamemnon”

—Originally published February 6, 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 the Wirtz Center’s stage premiere of Simon Scardifield’s “Agamemnon” adaptation. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

As the lights slowly rose in the Josephine Louis Theatre, Gwen stared hard at the location on the ground where the naked, bleeding Sean Gundersen had laid not twenty seconds earlier, and which was now vacant. The darkness of the final blackout had seemed so sudden, and so total, that she had been unable to trace if any actors stayed onstage during the blackout, or whether Gundersen had been whisked offstage to don the requisite robe for modesty during his bow.

The lights finally reached the level they had begun at, dimly illuminating the clouds of fog and haze floating in from the stage’s exposed wings. Not an actor was in sight. Gwen raised an eyebrow. She had basically understood the play’s ending, even if the pace had dropped slightly after Cassandra’s death, and in tying it to the overall message she was gleaning from it…

July 9, 2017

Progressive Second Opinion: Lipstick Theatre’s “Body Awareness”

—Originally published January 30, 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 Lipstick Theatre’s production of Annie Baker’s “Body Awareness.” Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

It was a strange thing to think about in the middle of a protest — stranger still to think while in the process of chanting along with the others around her — but even Gwen was surprised when Lipstick Theatre’s upcoming production of “Body Awareness” wormed its way into her head in the middle of the Chicago Women’s March.

The protests taking place nationally – and internationally, she would learn – had been beset by criticism online when a pro-life group of marchers, in Washington, D.C., had been kicked out of the march. Gwen hadn’t agreed with the decision, seeing the “women’s” march as an opportunity to bring people together rather than highlight our differences. Besides, during the Chicago march, she had seen plenty of men, and more than a few signs with pro-life messages.

July 9, 2017

God Of Grey: Jewish Theatre Ensemble’s “Grounded”

—Originally published October 17, 2016—

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 “Grounded,” a one-woman show starring Tess Musky-Goldwyn, produced by Jewish Theatre Ensemble. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

“All I’m saying is that she should have gotten credit on the poster,” Gwen continued, as they exited the bustling crowd spilling out of Shanley Pavilion and onto the street.

“I guess that makes sense,” Eleanor said. “When there’s only one actress.”

“She was definitely really, really good,” Dania added. “It was a weird show, but I definitely enjoyed it.”

July 9, 2017

Glow-In-The-Dark: Purple Crayon Players’ “The Grumpiest Boy In The World”

—Originally published November 21, 2016—

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 “The Grumpiest Boy in the World,” Purple Crayon Players’ north-American premiere of Finegan Kruckemeyer’s TYA play. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

Dania was clapping wild and loud as the lights faded up on the curtain call for the show. Eleanor was smiling and applauding as well, but not nearly as fervently as Dania, who was cheering with all the energy that the children in the audience likely had, but were advised not to voice in so many decibels, by their parents. Through the calamitous applause, Eleanor thought she could make out the telltale melody of “Go, Cubs, Go!” playing the actors off. As the house lights rose, Dania was still laughing.

“Oh, I needed that,” Dania said. “I needed that.”

“We all did,” Eleanor said. The girls collected their coats and headed out into the ever-darkening 3:30pm sky.

Category / Play