“Accidental Death of a Black Motorist” reviewed by Frank Meccia

Somewhat Recommended **  I enjoy going to the Athenaeum Theatre, which is known for introducing new plays and theatre companies to Chicago. With 4 stages they can create large shows and small intimate shows. This was on their smaller stage, which hold about 45 people. The play is a takeoff of a play I saw 16 years ago in London, the Accidental Death of an Anarchist written by the Italian Playwright and Nobel Prize winner for literature Dario Fo. The original play setting was in Italy and dealt with a Maniac who was quick witted and a mischievous fraudster, the play was very quick paced and done with that Benny Hill style of acting. Director Wm. Bullion decided to change the story line from an Anarchist to a Black Motorist who accidentally falls out of a 3rd story window in a Chicago Police station. I should mention the theatre company is call the Conspirators, “a new theatre company dedicated to provoking thought and action through dynamic, immediate theater art.” Maybe this is why they changed the name, and never hid the idea they were using the Chicago Police Department. The stage is set as an office in the police station, most of the characters mannerisms and clothing is designed to imitate a past Chicago political figure. I question why everybody is in old fashion silent movies “Whiteface”, or as they call it early day Opera makeup. And the acting and movement is also early day acting slap-stick comedy, think Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, and the Keystone cops Which is done well by Gunner Bradley and Kate Booth who both play police officers. The main character Anthony Hinderman plays the fraudster, and his fast-paced nonstop speech and acting is well performed, but sometimes the nonstop “shtick” just gets to be too much and irrelevant, Also, with so much words being said in such a fast pace, you lose some of the humor that is supposed to be in the play. Also, the play runs too long, over two hours and forty-five with a 10-minute intermission.

If the goal for Sid Feldman and Mr. Bullion were to portrait the fine work of Chicago detectives as buffoons and that the administration is into cover-ups you missed the mark. I will admit every career field has it’s few bad apples, but this show gives no one a reprieve, the entire department is corrupt. And, maybe this is the wrong show for me to see, considering a good friends husband died earlier this year and was a detective for over 20 years, and just last month another co-workers husband was shot white doing his job.

If the goal of the “Conspirators” is to shake up your audience, then you did your job. But I will hold back some judgement till I see more of your work.

“Accidental Death of a Black Motorist” is playing till November 23.

Performance schedule

Show Type: Comedy/Drama

Box Office: 773-935-6875

www.athenaeumtheatre.org

Ticket price is adults $25.00 and students $17.00. Athenaeum Theatre is located at 2936 N Southport, Chicago. Where Lincoln avenue meets Southport and Wellington. Discount tickets are available at the app “Today Tix”.

Parking is fairly easy in the area, BUT read the meter signs, to be sure.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Accidental Death of a Black Motorist”.