Playwright: Lisa Loomer. At: American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron. Phone: 773-409-4125; $35-$50. Runs through: Feb. 28
Lisa Loomer's 2009 comic drama Distracted is ostensibly about a modern-day American mother debating how to treat her 9-year-old son, who shows signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) . But as it appears in director PJ Paparelli's eye-popping Chicago premiere for American Theater Company, Distracted becomes more a damningly funny diagnosis of a heavily-medicated and quick-fix American society with its own ping-pong attention span.
Loomer's mirror reflection of the way we live today is so spot-on that it's startling and frequently unsettling. So while you may be constantly in titters, don't be surprised if you occasionally recoil in horror and think, "Oh my God! That's me!"
Paparelli and his design team start confronting before the show even starts. Set designer Andre LaSalle teams up with video designer Mike Tutaj and sound designer Lindsay Jones to over-saturate the senses with 15 flat screen TVs all switching channels cacophonously. And once the show starts, lighting designer Jesse Klug speedily bounces alongside Loomer's fragmented monologues and dialogue.
On the acting side, things were certainly strong, though not quite as polished upon reflection as they could have been on opening night. But Loomer's jumpy script is a tricky one to technically and emotionally maneuver through.
As the nameless Mama explaining all her dilemmas to the audience, Donna Jay Fulks navigates the starring role with plenty of panache. Yet the moments when Fulks has to turn on a dime from comic banter to truly harrowing doubts and fears, the deep feelings sometimes feel short-changed ( but this is a structural issue with the play itself ) .
Loomer's device of often having the actors step out of character can also be a tad cloying and problematic. It caused the extremely reliable Steppenwolf ensemble member Alan Wilder to occasionally hiccup in the switch over between his many eccentric doctors to "himself" as the actor who sings the praises of prescription drugs.
But for the most part, the supporting ensemble is solid and frequently laugh-out loud funny. That's particularly the case with Diana Facklis' hilariously blunt neighbor Vera and Audrey Morgan as the highly stressed teacher Mrs. Holly.
As the Dad, Kevin Rich shows the right amount of annoyance and sympathy to alternately make you root for him and despise him. And as the child, Jesse ( largely kept offstage ) , Noah Jerome Schwartz is perfect as he mouths off to his parents.
Rounding out the ensemble are Sadieh Rifal, Minita Gandhi and Hanna Dworkin, who each turn in very respectable performances.
Distracted doesn't offer any easy solutions to the issues it brings up. But it certainly revels in showing them all off to allow audiences to bust a gut initially before seriously contemplating them later.