“Every Brilliant Thing” reviewed by Frank Meccia

[rating=5]This was my first time going to WINDY CITY PLAYHOUSE SOUTH, which is in the Motor Row area of south Michigan Ave, and I must admit it was a total surprise. The south loop area around McCormick Place has been completely renovated., and I liked that parking was easy compared to some new renovated areas of Chicago. And the renovations done for the Windy City Playhouse were modern, and very comfortable compared to other black box theatres. The loft is there newest addition, comfortable leather swivel seats because this is “Immersion Theatre”, where you the audience participate in all aspects of the play.

Every Brilliant Thing is a wonderful 90 min production where you witness a personal chronicle of life’s joys and sorrows. When you live on the shadow of suicide. Based on the book by Duncan Macmillan and starring Rebecca Spence you watch her play a 7-year-old girl, who has to deal with the death of her dog, to learn about her mother’s repeated attempts at suicide.   We watch her grow from a young woman to a college bound teenager, to her first romance and her marriage. And though all this she keeps a list of things that make life wonderful and alive. The list that grows through out the play to one million and then starts over. Rebecca does an outstand job, she holds your attention through out the production, as she glides along this wonderful stage that is incorporated among the audience. My hat is off to the Property and Set Dresser Caitlin McCarthy, instead of using stage lights she incorporated over 50 different types of lamps and suspends them from the rafters, such a brilliant use of lighting.

A wonderful way to spend an evening, Jessica Fisch’s direction shines in this play. I highly recommend this one. The nice thing about the location and the short show, plenty of places nearby for pre-show dining and drinking afterwards. Windy City Playhouse South is located at 2229 S. Michigan Ave.

This production is playing till Dec 8^th. Performance schedule is as follows:

Price: $55 – $75

Show Type: Drama

Running Time: 1hr, 20mins; no intermission

www.windycityplayhouse.com/

Be prepared to interact with Rebecca Spence, she is brilliant in this role.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click ” Every Brilliant Thing”.