Playwrights: The cast
At: Lakeshore Theatre, 3175 N. Broadway,
Phone: (773) 472-3492; $12
Runs Fridays through June 25
BY SCOTT C. MORGAN
Surly Ald. Ed Bus of Chicago's imaginary 53rd Ward is speaking out again. Indignantly fending off press attacks at his 'famous' pork chop house restaurant, the machine manipulating alderman also has to contend with another distraction: squealing groupies.
Ald. Bus is one of many regular characters that fans of the acclaimed six-member sketch comedy troupe Schadenfreude have come to recognize. Plying its trade on all sorts of area stages for the past six years, Schadenfreude's profile recently grew when it started broadcasting a 30-minute Sunday evening program on Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ-91.5 FM) last July. The troupe's political satire even helped it to be nominated for a Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism. Now in a limited run at the Lakeshore Theatre, fans can see the Schadenfreude men (and token woman) behind the microphone in person.
As Ald. Bus, trouper Justin Kaufmann wasn't thrown by the chorus of drunken cheers that greeted him every time he mentioned Albany Park ('I live there!' screeched one girl). Schadenfreude is clearly loved by its fans, but as a relative newcomer I wasn't completely won over.
Not to take pleasure in the sufferings of others (a literal translation of the comedy troupe's name), Schadenfreude appeared slightly decimated in energy and underdeveloped in the script department at a recent performance. This was no fault of the very funny Ed Illades (filling in for regular Sandy Marshall). The other great troupers (Stephen Schmidt, Kate James, Mark Hanner, Adam Witt and the aforementioned Kaufmann) each delivered the goods, but all the cylinders seemed to be working harder than necessary.
The strict one-hour time was one drawback. Some hilarious sketches felt hemmed in, making you wish for more (Kate James' right-wing singer/songwriter in an illegal Rogers Park storefront theater could have used more songs). The blackout lull between sketches while cast members changed also sapped some of the driving comedic steam.
The sizable Lakeshore Theatre allowed the troupe to use nifty lighting effects from the musical 'Betty Rules!' also sharing the stage, but it might be a tad too big to facilitate a tight comic immediacy with the audience. Still, Schadenfreude scored plenty of hits with its oddball sketches.
Schadenfreude's 'What Would Jesus Do?' was a comic slap in the face to those who overuse the expression. The troupe also had serious undertones with its rendition of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court William Renquist playing 'Family Feud.' His answers point up the great economic and cultural divides that have been gripping America. Oh yeah, it was also pretty funny, too.
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