Playwright: Jeffrey Sweet
At: Victory Gardens, 2257 N. Lincoln
Phone: ( 773 ) 871-3000; $33-$40
Runs through: May 1
One of the things that inspired playwright Jeffrey Sweet to write Berlin 45—a love story set in the time just after the Nazis' demise and the Russian occupation of the city—was a book he read written by a woman who lived through that war-torn time, with its bombed-out buildings, starvation, and abuse from the Russian military. In spite of this, she was able to maintain a certain ironic detachment. Her sense of humor and psychology contributed to Sweet's fascination for the subject and period.
And perhaps this bit of research helped Sweet to create Ilse Kammer, one of the strongest original female presences I've seen emerge on a Chicago stage ( thank God she was portrayed by the incomparable Tandy Cronyn, whose gifts for characterization, subtlety, and empathy made the character even more memorable ) . Ilse, a former dancer turned dance company administrator, is adrift in Berlin's devastation, bombed out of her home and forced to find refuge in a barely standing building, once the home of a friend and colleague who has gone missing. There, Ilse forges a new existence, one based on necessity and cunning ( an impromptu horse killing results in meat for a few days; Ilse and another woman learn that trading their bodies to Russian occupiers allow them a measure of comfort and freedom ) .
What surprises about Berlin 45 is Ilse's relationship with a Soviet engineer, Gregor Akimovich ( a wise and warm turn from Roderick Peeples ) , stationed in Berlin to oversee the dismantling and shipping of German industry to Russia as postwar reparations. Despite the pair's adversarial relationship ( plus the issues of dominance and submission lurking in the background ) , they manage to form a kind of affection for one another. It is this affection that offers hope and makes a telling comment of the resiliency of the human spirit to overcome vast political and social differences.
Berlin 45—in its world premiere here—is a dense, compelling work ( perhaps a tad too dense ) , ably directed by Calvin MacLean, and boasting some layered, finely honed portrayals. In addition to Cronyn and Peeples, Melissa Carlson delivers a particularly fine performance as Ursula, a former dancer turned prostitute, demonstrating astonishing inner strength and sense of humor. Creative design from Jack Magaw ( never have rubble and crumbling walls looked more evocative ) , Judith Lundberg ( costumes ) , Julie Mack ( lighting ) , and Andre Pluess ( sound ) lend an air of authenticity to the proceedings.
