Displaying items by tag: True West

If anyone can be trusted to pay tribute to the late Sam Shepard’s work, it’s Steppenwolf. While they didn’t necessarily originate Shepard’s now classic play, their 1982 production certainly had something to do with the play’s legacy. In fact, Steppenwolf owes a lot of their respected standing in the international theatre community to this particular production. Directed by Gary Sinise and starring then unknowns John Malkovich and Laurie Metcalf, the storefront theater’s production transferred Off-Broadway in 1982. It ran for nearly 2 years and did better than the play’s original Off-Broadway run just a year earlier. 

In 2018 it was announced that Steppenwolf would revive their production in the 2019 season. Of the original ensemble cast, Francis Guinan is the only member to return (in the same role no less). Randall Arney replaces Gary Sinise as director and the results are fairly revolutionary. Some audiences may struggle with Sam Shepard works, but in Arney’s hands Steppenwolf delivers a comprehensible revival worthy of the hype. 

‘True West’ is at its core a simple story. Austin (Jon Michael Hill) is a successful writer taking some time away from his wife and kids to house-sit outside LA for his mother (Jacqueline Williams). His peace is disturbed by his screw-up older brother Lee (Namir Smallwood). The two spend the play battling out their dominance in near primal terms until their mother returns early. 

Sam Shepard had a gift for taking typical American life and turning it on its side with odd, but profound dialogue. ‘True West’ is an examination of the old west and what glimmers of it remained by 1980. It’s especially expounded upon when the two brothers vie for film producer Saul’s (Francis Guinan) attention. ‘True West’ also represents Shepard’s own duality; the slick Hollywood writer and the rebellious hellion described in Patti Smith’s memoir ‘Just Kids’. 

Sam Shepard plays are thinkers. They can be tedious to read, and even more tedious when done badly. This cast and director have a solid grasp of Shepard’s intention rendering a very easy to follow performance. While the ethnicity of actors should be irrelevant, Arney has made an interesting choice by making this a primarily African American cast. This casting adds a layer of complexity perhaps even Sam Shepard never thought of. Both Jon Michael Hill and Namir Smallwood turn in intense performances. They deftly switch between their character architypes and by the end you aren’t sure which character should be feared more. The last image will leave you breathless.  

If you’ve never seen ‘True West’ this is the production to see. It’s epic in scale with an impressive set by Todd Rosenthal and it’s incredibly well acted. For those Steppenwolf enthusiasts, this is an important revival for the institution itself, as this was the play that put them on the map. It’s hard to believe that without Sam Shepard’s ‘True West’ we may not have the iconic space on Halsted and maybe Chicago wouldn’t be nearly as reputable for outstanding regional theatre. In any case, this ‘True West’ is a bit of history reimagined for a new generation to not only find Shepard’s work relevant, but also consider the impressive legacy of one of Chicago’s finest institutions. 

Through August 25th at Steppenwolf Theatre. 1650 N Halsted. 312-335-1650

In a Sam Shepard play, rarely are things what they seem. His 1980 play "True West" is no exception. Under the direction of James Yost, Shattered Globe Theatre tackles this modern classic. "True West" is often considered part of a family saga by Shepard that includes his 1979 Pulitzer Prize winner "Buried Child." 

Austin and Lee are two brothers who couldn't be more different. Austin (Kevin Viol) is an upstanding writerly type who we first meet hunched over a typewriter in his mother's kitchen. Lee (Joseph Wiens) is his hulking older brother with a checkered past. Austin is working on a script in his mother's house while she's on vacation. Hoping for some peace and quiet, he's interrupted by Lee whom he hasn't seen in five years. Over the course of Act I, we watch as Lee and Austin battle for superiority through frustratingly inane questions. The moment of reckoning comes when Lee highjacks Austin's meeting with an important Hollywood executive. 

What the play points to in American culture is that bullies win. Bullies get what they want and being a polite makes you weak. This theme couldn't be more relevant as we look to a certain unpresidential candidate running for president this year. No matter how much evolution we have to the contrary, human nature is that the strongest eat first. Austin and Lee can be interpreted as two parts of the same mind. Shepard often opines on the perception of masculinity. "True West" explores the duality we all possess. 

There's a special place in Chicago's theater community for "True West." It was one of the first out-of-town successes of a then fledgling theater company, The Steppenwolf. Gary Sinese and John Malkovich starred in the principal roles. It transferred off-Broadway in 1984 and helped establish The Steppenwolf as one of the best regional theaters in America. 

Director James Yost's vision for this show is faithful. The set by Greg Pinsoneault drops us right into 1980. Sarah Jo White's costumes are also very authentic. Performances are this production's strongest asset. Kevin Viol's breakdown between Act I and II is hilarious. While Joseph Weins' character stays mostly static throughout the play, his commitment to the grossness of extreme masculinity echos Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalksi. Shattered Globe's production of "True West" shows their knack for bringing topical themes to classic works. 

Through Oct 22nd. Shattered Globe Theatre. 1229 W Belmont Ave. www.theaterwit.com