[rating=4]If you have never had the privilege of attending the upstairs “studio” theater at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, to see a quartet of zany men known as “The Q Brothers”, you have no idea of what you have missed. They are amazingly energetic talented men who take a full length play ( doesn’t matter if Shakespeare or Dickens) and make it into a “Hip-Hop” adventure. Ninety minutes of side splitting laughter that will make you forget about anything and everything that was on your mind prior to the curtain.
The current production is none other than the works of one Charles Dickens that is probably on many stages in town as well as the amazing production at The Goodman, “A Christmas Carol”. Written and performed by GQ, JQ, Jackson Doran and Postell Pringle, otherwise known as “The Q Brothers” this is ,as creative producer Rick Boynton calls it, a “tour de rap“and like nothing you have ever seen before. These four men take on all the roles that Dickens wrote with GQ doing the major role of Scrooge. His energy is absolutely amazing!
Handling Marley/Belle/Ghost of Present, Lil Tim) is co-creator who also composed the music, JQ. All the other roles are played by Doran, and Postell Pringle, who has a wonderful scene as Bob Cratchit and his daughter Martha- he handles this with great skill. What is amazing about these men is that they never miss a beat and stay in character (whichever they are in) no matter what. During this 90 minutes of laughter and hilarity, their “main man”, DJ Super Nova acts as the man who keeps it all together.
This is not “A Christmas Carol” as you are used to seeing it performed! In fact, it is not even close to the work we know and love. Instead , it is an irreverent look at the voyage of Ebenezer Scrooge through that crazy Christmas Eve, where his life and that of all around him changed. FYI-Nephew Fred ,in this version lives a much more modern home life. This is the third production this troupe has brought to CST (the others are “Othello: The Remix” and “Funk It Up About Nothin'”- works by Shakespeare). It is nice to see they are not stuck on one great, but are spreading their wings.
If you have a need to laugh, this might be a great entertainment for you to partake in. I know it will spread a lot of cheer during the holiday season that is now upon us. Grab a glass of wine and walk into the Studio Theater for 90 minutes of rip roaring laugh your “A–” off and have as Scrooge says “A Very Merry Chris My Ass”, by viewing “A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol” which will continue thru January 3rd with performances as follows:
| Fri, Dec 4: | 7:30pm |
| Sat, Dec 5: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sun, Dec 6: | 3:00pm |
| Wed, Dec 9: | 7:30pm |
| Thu, Dec 10: | 7:30pm |
| Fri, Dec 11: | 7:30pm |
| Sat, Dec 12: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sun, Dec 13: | 3:00pm |
| Tue, Dec 15: | 7:30pm |
| Wed, Dec 16: | 7:30pm |
| Thu, Dec 17: | 7:30pm |
| Fri, Dec 18: | 7:30pm |
| Sat, Dec 19: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sun, Dec 20: | 3:00pm & 6:00pm |
| Tue, Dec 22: | 7:30pm |
| Wed, Dec 23: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sat, Dec 26: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sun, Dec 27: | 3:00pm & 6:00pm |
| Tue, Dec 29: | 7:30pm |
| Wed, Dec 30: | 7:30pm |
| Thu, Dec 31: | 7:00pm & 10:00pm |
| Sat, Jan 2: | 6:00pm & 8:30pm |
| Sun, Jan 3: | 3:00pm & 6:00pm |
| To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “A Q Brothers’ Christmas Carol” | |
Price: $30-$48
Show Type: Performance Art
Box Office: 312-595-5600
discount parking is available $13.20.Bring your ticket for vaidation
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