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Chicago Tribune
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: ‘Iraq, But Funny' at Lookingglass Theatre is a stunning debut in need of an edit
An apt subtitle for Atra Asdou's 'Iraq, But Funny' might be: 'How the British Caused Every Problem in the Middle East (With a Late Assist from the U.S.A.).' It always cracks me up how, in progressive artistic circles, Brits are exempted from the pervasive disdain for stereotyping. Asdou leans into all of it with confident impunity: the accent, the physical appearance, even the quality of one's teeth. Substitute any other nation and she'd be canceled forthwith. Luckily, Asdou, a veteran of the Second City, also is exceptionally funny and there are moments when the latest, massively ambitious show at Lookingglass Theatre struck me as an astonishingly brilliant first theatrical play, even though it will almost certainly infuriate a decent percentage of the audience that has historically supported that particular theater. It annoyed me, too, in places, especially in its determination never to consider the relative merits of other narratives and, more specifically, its lack of a full consideration of the geopolitical impact of the Holocaust, not to mention the British success in fighting against Nazi sympathizers in the mid-century Middle East. But in others, it took my breath away. And, for the record, I believe from the tip of my head to the bottom of my toes that satirists have no obligation whatsoever to be fair. In essence, Asdou has forged a one-night history of the Middle East from the perspective of Iraqi Assyrians, some of whom have, of course, now settled in the Chicago area. The storyteller is an English, Sgt. Pepper-like buffoon and the style is best described as a blend of Monty Python and Howard Zinn. It reminded me most of a similarly cartoon-styled telling of the history of the same region from the perspective of the Palestinian people that I watched a couple of years ago in a museum inside The Walled Off Hotel, outside Bethlehem in the West Bank. But that was on film; the motor-mouthed Asdou puts it out herself, live and in person. I suspect that Lookingglass was knocked out by the script and basically just told Asdou and director Dalia Ashurina to go ahead and express themselves. But they still have to make it great. In essence, Asdou has created two separate shows and spliced them together. One is a familial story about multiple generations of Iraqi Assyrians (played by Susaan Jamshidi, James Rana and Sina Pooresmaeil) and the struggles of a smart young daughter (Gloria Imseih Petrelli) to both honor the sacrifices of her parents and strike out on her own. The second show is Asdou's British alter-ego explaining the history of how everything led to everything in the Middle East. The first one is funny and sometimes quite moving, but despite the references to reclaiming one's own story from someone else's voice, it's also a very familiar narrative when the Midwest-based children of immigrants from Iraq and Iran write plays. I've reviewed a version of it three times already this season in Chicago: it's at the core of Sadieh Rifai's 'The Cave,' Michael Shayan's 'Avaaz' and Esho Rasho's 'Dummy in Diaspora,' also told from an Assyrian perspective. Those are diverse shows in many ways, my point is that the children of the diaspora telling their own stories. I, for one, am glad to hear them. But the comedic, opinionated political history with zany graphics, audience interaction, physical clowning, improvisational antics fueled by political outrage and one hilariously caustic line after another? No one else is doing that. Not at this level. I don't think Asdou has to drop her family story entirely but this style of satirical theater would work far better at around 90 minutes than almost two and a half hours; that's why Second City pays close attention to length. If Asdou could force herself to cut her weaker material and repetitions and keep the familial arc more fully in the context of her lead comedic character and the geopolitical history that character is telling, she'd really have something here. Right now, that character drops away at the end after morphing into Uncle Sam without explanation. That's all part of the standard anti-colonialist/anti-capitalist narrative, I know, but it still needs explaining for those at the back. Asdou wants her family to triumph and, for the most part, and with this capable director's help, she manages to skillfully navigate her twin impulses of moralistic political activism and sharp-elbowed satirical destruction, even though they are actually contradictory when it comes to their artistic obligations. But the core of this piece is political, not 'thanks Mom and Dad, for all you did,' and that is something Asdou has to face if she wants a show that's viable as well as heartfelt. But after one more draft? Sensational, potentially. Already, if I were a scout looking for colossal young talent, I'd jump on a plane, buy a ticket and see what Asdou can do. Review: 'Iraq, But Funny' (3 stars) When: Through July 20 Where: Lookingglass Theatre, 163 E. Pearson St. Running time: 2 hours, 25 minutes Tickets: $30-$90 at
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Theater for summer 2025: Our top 10 from '42 Balloons' on Navy Pier to Amy Morton back at Steppenwolf
As our chilly, dusty spring turns into summer, Chicago theaters have a stellar line-up of warm-weather attractions for you and your out-of-town guests to enjoy. Here are 10 shows opening between Memorial Day and Labor Day that look especially promising. Live entertainment can be found all over town, of course, but Chicago Shakespeare Theater will be especially busy this summer with two new shows likely to attract international attention. Before I list my picks, I'll add my annual reminder that some here may disappoint, and that 10 shows hardly do the full seasonal slate justice. You can also find an Ethiopian Circus at Chicago Shakespeare this summer, not to mention magic and comedy all over town, some familiar musicals in the city and suburbs, and a new Second City e.t.c Stage. revue, to name just a few more. And we've also not included the likes of American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, just a short drive away. '42 Balloons' at Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Arguably the highest profile Chicago show this summer, '42 Balloons' is a pre-Broadway tryout from producer Kevin McCollum ('Six') in Chicago Shakespeare's Yard on Navy Pier. First produced at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester, in the United Kingdom and penned by the British writer-composer Jack Godfrey, '42 Balloons' is the real-life story of 'Lawnchair Larry' Walters, a Vietnam veteran who, in 1982, made a quixotic, solo 45-minute flight above Southern California in, of all things, a lawn chair, as lifted by more than 40 helium-filled weather balloons, reaching 16,000 feet. Expect an all-new pop score themed to the power ballads, funk and glam rock sounds of the much-maligned 1980s. 'Diana the Musical' at Theo Theatre: Although a flop on Broadway, this campy musical from Joe DiPietro was to be rethought and retooled in Chicago-style fashion by Fred Anzevino, the longtime artistic director of Theo and a man who deeply appreciated all the former Princess of Wales did during the AIDS crisis. Alas, Anzevino died while in rehearsals for a show now dedicated to his memory. For all its excesses, 'Diana' did have a better score than a lot of critics first realized, so I'll be interested to see how it works as director Brenda Didier and the other Theo artists work to honor a man who did so much for small productions of musicals in Chicago. 'Iraq, But Funny' at Lookingglass Theatre: The list of theatrical comedies about Iraq is short, but Lookingglass Theatre, experiencing a rebirth this season after a long hiatus, is adding to the canon with this semi-autobiographical show about five generations of Assyrian women, as penned by ensemble member Atra Asdou and starring Asdou, Susaan Jamshidi, Gloria Imseih Petrelli, James Rana and Sina Pooresmaeil. Asdou describes her show as a 'raucous satire,' and the narrator is 'a British guy.' Intriguing. 'You Will Get Sick' by Steppenwolf Theatre Company: The title might not suggest summer frolics but few will care, since 'You Will Get Sick' represents the return of the much-loved Amy Morton to the Steppenwolf stage after an absence of eight years (since her appearance in 'Hir' in 2017). Since then, she's been one of the main characters on the massively popular Dick Wolf TV show 'Chicago P.D.,' which has been good for her and the franchise's global viewers but less good for Chicago theatergoers. Morton returns to the mainstage of her home theater in a much-acclaimed play by Noah Diaz about a young man and his caregiver, a role first played off-Broadway by Linda Lavin. Co-artistic director Audrey Francis directs. 'Kimberly Akimbo' at CIBC Theatre: Chicago gets its first look at the first national tour of the justly acclaimed Broadway musical from 2022 about the 16-year-old title character who has a rare genetic disorder — meaning that she ages very quickly and has the appearance of a 62-year-old woman, even as she is just trying to go to junior prom. The gorgeous score is by the incomparable Jeanine Tesori with a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, after his own play. This affirmative and teen-friendly piece, fundamentally, is the quirky story of a stranger in the strange land of her own body. And it's far more life-affirming than its plot might first suggest. 'Dhaba on Devon Avenue' by Writers Theatre: I'm a sucker for locally set plays and this summer attraction at Writers Theatre in Glencoe is set on Chicago's famously rich and diverse Devon Avenue, the Far North Side artery and early epicenter of the Indiana diaspora in the Midwest. Homing in on a big dilemma for family restaurants, playwright Madhuri Shekar writes about a small Indian eatery that has to contend with the economic struggles of the restaurant business at large and generational change within a hard-working family that has long served hungry diners on Devon. 'Beauty and the Beast' at Cadillac Palace Theatre: This 1994 live adaptation of the beloved animated movie was a seminal event in the launch of Disney Theatricals, a producing entity that went on to create 'The Lion King,' 'Aladdin' and many others. The first Broadway project of the mighty mouse basically set about putting the movie on stage, replete with the fabulous songs by Alan Menken, the late Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. It was masterfully done and never repeated, even by Disney, who then turned to distinctively theatrical artists like Julie Taymor. This summer, Disney is bringing back this title in a whole new touring production. I'll be fascinated to see what decisions they make for the tale as old as time. Better yet, the Chicago great Kathy Voytko is playing Mrs. Potts. 'Twisted Melodies' at Northlight Theatre: The talented and longtime Chicago actor Kelvin Rolston Jr. has written this new show for himself about the late Chicago-born musician, singer and composer Donny Hathaway, known for his soul music and R&B hits, as well as his duets with Roberta Flack. Expect to hear Hathaway classics like 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know,' 'The Ghetto' and 'The Closer I Get to You.' The highly experienced Ron OJ Parson directs this show about a musical giant who, alas, lived only for 33 years. 'Billie Jean' at Chicago Shakespeare Theater: In one of the biggest shows of the post-Wimbledon summer, Chicago Shakespeare Theater explores the life and times of the tennis icon and LGBTQ activist Billie Jean King, who lived for many years in Chicago. I'm told King is involved with a show likely to have a future beyond Chicago. Penned by the popular and prolific Lauren Gunderson, 'Billie Jean' will be directed by Marc Bruni and already has a commercial producer attached. How the show will handle the action on the court itself remains to be seen but you can expect a celebration of King's ground-breaking achievements in and out of the great game. 'Things With Friends' at American Blues Theater: The high-profile writer Kristoffer Diaz ('Hells Kitchen,' 'The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity') is now an ensemble member at American Blues and he has given them the coup of producing the world premiere of his latest play, 'Things With Friends.' Therein, we meet Adele and Burt throwing a dinner party for their dearest friends, even as the George Washington Bridge and Brooklyn Battery Tunnel have collapsed into their respective rivers. Things apparently go from there.
