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Articles tagged with: Simon Stephens

In a ‘Curious Incident,’ a special boy grapples with the twists, turns and illogic of growing up

Dec 13, 2016 – 10:03 am
curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-feature-image-joan-marcus

Review: Christopher is determined to a) solve the mystery of who has killed his neighbor’s dog and b) take a math advance-placement exam. The story that takes flight is music for the soul. Now playing through Dec. 24 at the Oriental, this brave and wonderful Broadway in Chicago national touring production is about the dignity of the adolescent passage, as seen through the eyes of a brilliant boy in constant danger of sensory overload, and his ever-present companion, a pet rat. ★★★★

‘Wastwater’ at Steep: The human condition, warts and all, with an emphasis on the warts

Aug 25, 2016 – 10:25 pm
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Review: If the mirror held to up to our human lot by Simon Stephens’ play “Wastwater” fairly reflects what’s framed there, we’re not a very pretty collection. We may have our favorable features, but for the most part the image that emerges in “Wastwater,” about to wind up its run at Steep Theatre, is one of frailty, desperation and meanness. ★★★

Theater 2015-16: Steep gets down and grapples with Linklater premiere, more Simon Stephens

Oct 1, 2015 – 1:06 pm
Kendra Thulin in the world premiere of 'The Cheats' at Steep Theatre. (Gregg Gilman)

17th in a series of season previews: Founding artistic director Peter Moore says Steep Theatre’s 15th season captures the essence of what this scrappy company is all about – “ground-level views of life.” That low-angle survey begins with the world premiere of Hamish Linklater’s “The Cheats,” about two neighboring couples who suddenly find themselves uncomfortably close.

‘Motortown’ at Steep: Danny comes marching home, but the emotional shelling doesn’t stop

Oct 29, 2013 – 7:25 pm
Danny (Joel Reitsma) tries to fan the old flame with Marley (Julia Siple) in 'Motortown' at Steep Theatre (Lee Miller)

Review: Danny has no visible scars, no missing limbs, but this former British soldier bears deep wounds from his tour of duty in Iraq. He is the tormented, dangerous antihero of playwright Simon Stephens’ “Motortown,” now in a riveting North American premiere run at Steep Theatre. ★★★★