hanslick girls | The Hanslick Girls

July 9, 2017

Under The Sun: Lovers & Madmen’s “Cardenio”

—Originally published October 10, 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 “Cardenio,” Lovers & Madmen’s sort-of Shakespeare play. Let’s hear what Eleanor had to say about the performance a few days later…

The mid-October air had drifted lazily into that perfect sweet spot where the light breeze through the campus would keep you cool, while the bright rays of the sun reflected off the grey buildings populating Northwestern’s campus and kept you warm. This was the air that Eleanor walked through as she traversed the campus, from south up to north. Looking at apartments, she had justified her decision to live south of campus with the knowledge that walking to classes would provide her with some of the exercise she had promised to start doing during the year. But walking to the Wirtz Center was one problem. Trekking to Francis Searle was another matter.

July 9, 2017

Richly Adorned Commoner: The National Tour of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”

—Originally written July 25, 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 and movies together. They may not have the same opinions, but their conversations tend to make for an entertaining read. Recently, the Girls saw the national tour of the Tony-winning musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” Let’s hear what they had to say about the musical…

“Well,” Eleanor said, as they began to rise to make their way out of the theatre.

“Hm.” Gwen added. She was grabbing her coat and trying to fold the program so it would fit into her purse. As she slowly walked out the long aisle towards the lobby, shuffling behind older audience members moving slowly, Gwen glanced back towards the inventive set design on the stage. The Edwardian Toy Theater in the center of the stage stuck out, gaudily designed, against the red curtain backdrop and the tall dark flats with outlines of mansions forming the wings. Or, rather, the singular wing, at the front of the stage. It was all very cutely designed, an over exaggerated and hand-drawn style that edged closer to animation when the screen at the back of the theatre turned on to show the backgrounds for each scene. It was simply made, but anything but simple in design.

July 9, 2017

Life After Death: Daniels’ “Swiss Army Man”

—Originally written July 6, 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 “Swiss Army Man,” Daniels’ absurdist discussion of humanity, solitude, and farting. Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

When the final shot of “Swiss Army Man” came to a close, the screen abruptly switched to a black screen with the words “THE END,” written in white in a simple font, placed directly in the center of the screen. At the juxtaposition of such an innocuous ending onto an otherwise ridiculous film, some audience members started laughing. Sitting almost motionless in the center of the theatre, Gwen, Eleanor, and Dania wordlessly thought the exact same thing.

“Of course that’s how this movie ends.”

July 9, 2017

Hear The Wind Blow: The 5th Avenue Theatre’s “Lerner & Loewe’s Paint Your Wagon”

—Originally written June 20, 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 5th Avenue Theatre’s revisal of Lerner and Loewe’s troubled musical “Paint Your Wagon.” Let’s hear what they had to say on their way back from the theater…

The crowds were on their feet as Robert Cuccioli came out for the final bow, but all three of the girls were still sitting down in their seats. Gwen was considering standing up, purely for a better view, but one glance over to Eleanor was evidence enough of how concretely glued to her seat her friends were, and she remained sitting.

As they stood and the house lights rose, Dania turned to the other two.

“No words until we are safely away from the theatre.”

“Duh,” came Eleanor’s response.

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