“Scary Town” reviewed by Frank Meccia

***** Hell in a Handbag Productions, known for their campy, outrageous, and often heartfelt work, delivers yet another world premiere with Scary Town, a semi-autobiographical fantasy from Artistic Director David Cerda. But this isn’t your typical coming-of-age tale — it’s one filtered through the eyes of a disillusioned 13-year-old brown bunny named Deven. And yes, it’s as wonderfully weird as it sounds.

Set in a deceptively cheerful “Happy Town,” Scary Town slowly peels back layers of bright fur and smiling faces to reveal a world full of secrets, doubts, and existential dread. Despite the anthropomorphic premise — a cast of cute animals grappling with deep human emotions — Cerda’s script hits close to home. It’s two  hours of bittersweet storytelling punctuated by laugh-out-loud one-liners, a signature Cerda touch.

Leading the cast is Colin Callahan as Deven Bunny, the only brown bunny in a family of 360 white siblings. Callahan captures the angst, curiosity, and rebellious spark of a young bunny trying to make sense of his identity and his not-so-perfect town. His performance is both charming and deeply relatable.

Jerod Turner brings a joyful innocence to Willie Worm, Deven’s ever-positive best friend who radiates optimism despite knowing he’s adopted. Turner’s physicality and the colorful worm costume (another win for designer Rachel Sypniewski) bring a lovable squishiness to the stage. Ed Jones, a staple of the Handbag ensemble, delivers a standout performance as Mrs. Wanda Water Buffalo — warm, hilarious, and grounded in genuine maternal love.

Al Duffy’s Penelope Porcupine, spiky in both look and attitude, is the perfect partner in disillusionment to Deven. Stevie Love as Mrs. Betty Bunny balances maternal warmth with a touch of dark mystery, while Danne W. Taylor’s Granny Bunny is the emotional heart of the piece — wise, supportive, and quietly powerful.

The costume design by Rachel Sypniewski is nothing short of exceptional. Each character’s look is fully realized, whimsical without veering into parody, and contributes meaningfully to the world-building. In a 50-seat theater like The Clutch, every detail is up for scrutiny, and these costumes shine.
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass — a Handbag veteran — the show feels tight, purposeful, and fluid, despite the limitations of the small space. The staging never feels cramped, thanks in part to the excellent work of Snodgrass. The Clutch may be a smaller venue than what Handbag is used to, but it provides an intimacy that strengthens the emotional beats of the story.

Scary Town is a delightful surprise: layered, smart, emotionally resonant, and visually inventive. It tackles big questions about belonging, identity, and growing up, all wrapped in a fuzzy, funny, and slightly twisted package. It’s exactly the kind of ambitious, heartfelt work that explains why Hell in a Handbag continues to earn critical acclaim and a devoted following.

Don’t miss it. Scary Town runs through Sunday, May 11th, with performances  as follows:

Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 pm

Sundays at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Industry Night is Monday, May 5th, and please note there will be no 7:00 pm show on closing day, May 11th.

Tickets: General Admission $35. VIP reserved $43, Tickets are now on sale for all performances at www.handbagproductions.org or at www.hellinahandbagproductions/1618086

Run time 2 hours

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Scary Town”.