I once attended a church that used the Harry Potter stories as a means of telling the hero's journey in spiritual terms. The minister once came out dressed as a wizard. People lapped it up but it left me dry. I am a Wizard of Oz girl 100% regarding a hero's journey. The Black Button Eyes production of A Shadow Bright and Burning gave me a similar feeling of 'meh'. Ed Rutherford adapted and directed this play from the novel by Jessica Cluess.
A Shadow Bright and Burning was described as having characteristics of H.P. Lovecraft's science fiction. R'hlem, the Skinless Man (Jason LaCombe), was truly creepy as was the marvelous Kat Evans in the dual role of a Familiar and Lily. This play is set in Victorian England, leaning more toward mesmerism, spiritualism, and in my opinion, a defining era of sociopathy aka Jack the Ripper. Annemarie Andaleon plays the lead character Henrietta Howell. She aspires to attend the sorcery school of Agrippa played by a charismatic Timothy Griffin. Andaleon has a nice stage presence but the acting and the accent were uneven.
Griffin's Agrippa is a commanding presence as the main instructor of Henrietta. His snowy hair and posture fleshes out the character and gives it gravitas. Darren Jones is equally wonderful as Hargrove/Mickelmas the magician. His timing and delivery are on point and he delivers some of the best lines in the show. His droll and conniving character is both sympathetic and despicable. Jones plays the magician as a hustler with Shakespearean flair.
Kat Evans gives a funny and scary performance as the chambermaid Lily and the creepy Familiar. Evans has a way with accents. I previously reviewed her in Two Hours in a Bar as the no-nonsense Irish bar owner hosting a dreary New Year's Eve. The Familiar is usually a talking cat or a flying monkey hanging around a witch. Evans channels Margaret Hamilton's cackle from The Wizard of Oz. She is hilarious but also has the other Lovecraftian touch in service to the Skinless Man.
Alex George is good as Henrietta's love interest Rook. Jamie Dillon Grossman steals the show in roles as a rogue in service to Micklemas and as The Queen. She brings a comic flair with her voice, expressions, and mannerisms. The supporting cast of Jessica Golforth, Sierra Buffam, and North Homewood does a fine job; however, the adaptation tries to do too much and shortchanges what could have been more interesting characters. That is also where I have issues with the play.
A play like this can be serious and commit to an expressionistic tone of defined characters like Warp from the pioneering Organic Theater. On the other hand, it can also be a bonkers horror and farce mashup. A Shadow Bright and Burning has the bones to be either. The set and props by Jeremiah Barr are perfect for a mashup. I loved the tentacles or legs that came from everywhere. The set was well done with levels and details that had a Victorian vibe.
Overall, I like this play and recommend it for a fun time. The accents need to be finessed. Sierra Buffams Cellini is supposed to be Italian but sounded more like Bela Lugosi's Dracula. Sure, Romanian and Italian have some similarities in dialect and phrasing but as I said, either go authentic Lovecraft or farcical mashup. That's why I give A Shadow Bright and Burning 2 stars.
Black Button Eyes' production of A Shadow Bright and Burning plays at the Edge Theater, 5451 N. Broadway. The show runs through September 28. For more information and tickets, please visit www.blackbuttoneyes.com.
For more information on this and other plays, see theatreinchicago.com.
Support arts and culture journalism today.ta This work doesn't happen without your support. Contribute today and ensure we can continue to share the latest reviews, essays, and previews of the most anticipated arts and culture events across the city.