“Shipwrecked ! An Entertainment”

Highly Recommended *****  Live Theatre is back! Yea! After over a year and a half, it is a special “night out” when one can attend live theater. Tonight, I attended my second outdoor production from the good folks at Oil Lamp Theater. For those of yu unfamiliar with this company, Oil Lamp is a tiny storefront located right in “downtown” Glenview. For years I have marveled at this unique theater where one feels as if they are visiting a friend’s house, yet seeing a finely produced theatrical production. Many find this company by accident, and then return, very often.

With the pandemic, they started to do some outdoor shows and when they planned their new season, decided to go with the theme “Under The Stars” and do their shows nearby in an outdoor setting that is wonderful. The charis they offer might just be a bit too comfortable ( I suggest bringing a pillow with for the small of your back), but otherwise an amazing setting to watch a 90 minute “experience”.

The current show is “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment”. The title goes on to say “the Amazing Adventures of Loius de Rougemont( as told by himself), written by Donald Marguilies.

It is based on a true story. A fantastic and amazing story! The claims are that every word in the story is even more amazing because every word is true! Or is it? I certainly do not want to reveal a great deal about the actual story line except to tell you that we, the audience get to meet this amazing explorer ( played expertly by Logan Allen Brown). It took a while but I knew that I recognized him from Big Noise productions. He is an amazing talent that will captivate you for the entire 90 minutes of this production. In fact, being outside in a forest like area of Glenview, when the show began there was a rabbit in front of the stage. This little rabbit stopped running about and watched the opening speech as if he had a ticket. It was only when the sounds of a storm took place that it darted back into the woods.

What this show is, is a story-telling experience with Brown and two helpers. The helpers play all the other roles in the experience and are both wonderful. Not only do they take on a myriad of characters, they handle the “foley” ( sound effects) and various props as well. Jasmine Robertson is powerful as both Louis’ mother and later wife and many others, but one of the highlights of the experience is Van Ferro ( player 2) who plays old men, dogs, babies, teen-agers and every other man in the show. He also does some women to show his wide range. He is worth the trip to Glenview, but when Brown does his thing, you see that all three of these cast members love what they are bringing to the stage.

Directed by Corey Bradberry, this is a fast paced easy to follow 90 minutes of pure entertainment. In fact, you might want to know if there are even more tales in this temple of imagination. In the director’s notes it is said that these stories, as told by de Rougemont, could be truth or fantasy. I know that once you see this entertainment, you will want o explore this storytellers life even more. I will tell you that the production is superb in every way. There were a few weather moments ( with the weather of late, one can only guess), but this was a delightful experience from start to finish.

The technical parts o fthis production are amazing. Hats off to Caitlyn McLeod who handled the many props and designed the puppets for this powerful production. WELL DONE! Autumn Egger’s costumes are brilliant with one obvious exception. The leather belt worn by our hero should have been a rope. The set (Lauren M. Nichols) is unique and uses the stage to its fullest capacity. Again, 90 minutes of awe and wonder.

“Shipwrecked! An Entertainment” will continue thru August 29th ( I will advise if they add a week)with performances as follows:

Thursdays    8 p.m.

Fridays  8 p.m.

Saturdays  3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Sundays  3 p.m.

AT: St. Dvaid’s Episcopal Church, 2410 Glenview Road ( entrance to parking on Shermer, just North of Glenview Road)

Tickets $45 and can be ordered at www.oillamptheater.org

They follow all the guidelines of the CDC with ample space between seats

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment”.