Playwright: conceived by Michele DiMaso, written and performed by the Babes With Blades
At: Breadline Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice
Phone: ( 773 ) 275-0440; $15
Runs through: Nov. 20
A 'cliffhanger', technically speaking, is a chapter/installment/segment of a serial narrative left deliberately unfinished at a crucial moment in its plot, designed to pique audiences' curiosity, and thus assuring their later return to discover the resolution. The twelve scenes comprising the Babes With Blades' stage combat showcase—framed in an Entertainment Tonight-styled retrospective—exhibit their share of 'This isn't over yet!' and 'We'll just SEE about THAT!' tag-lines, but the most intriguing scripts go beyond generic action-movie premises to tantalize us with character-based psychological dynamics.
Take, for example, the Raymond Chandler-esque avenger who confronts a white-collar criminal, only to be seduced into sparing her quarry—for the moment. Or a fin-de-siécle drama involving two lifelong companions compelled by family honor to fight a duel to the death—but will the victor deliver the fatal stroke to her dearest friend? And how about the abusive pimp challenged by a photojournalist shooting a video-documentary on prostitution, the latter forced to abandon her identification, leaving her vulnerable to payback by the former?
Whole plays could be constructed around these five-to-ten-minute sketches. But even the familiar scenarios exhibit original touches. A confrontation between a futuristic mercenary and a supervillain bent on—yawn!—world domination is enlivened by the would-be tyrant turning out to be an effete bumpkin in a seersucker jacket. A standard-issue Martial Arts prologue is performed with dialogue in Japanese ( no subtitles ) . And only a fight-club steeped in sororal candor could come up with so innovative a punch-line to the obligatory chainsaw-murderer showdown.
The athletic spectacle reflects the high standard set by this internationally-recognized company, the tone is playful rather than strident, and except for a giggle when we are told to turn our cell phones to 'vibrate', all humor is well within PG-13 range. If a story titled 'Ten Things That Make Me Want To Kick The S&!t Out Of You', featuring a catspat with teenage combatants employing backpacks, textbooks and lunchboxes as assault weapons, sounds to you like fun, Cliffhangers is your kind of show.
Billings in Northlight's Midnight Circus
Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones announces the world premiere of a Northlight Theatre special event production, The Midnight Circus: Stilettos, Circus, and Soul! This all-ages event features the Chicago-based troupe The Midnight Circus with Jeff Award-winning chanteuse Alexandra Billings and the sounds of the internationally acclaimed, Grammy-nominated Mars Williams of Liquid Soul. The press opening is Friday, March 3, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. The production runs March 2-12, 2006, at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., in Skokie.
Since 1997, The Midnight Circus has been combining elements of circus, theater, music and other art forms into a unique and exciting style of performance. Their signature approach has led to international success and has attracted the participation of acrobats from around the world. The Midnight Circus is performing at Daley Plaza's Haunted Village throughout the month of October.
See www.northlight.org .
