Review: A New Era in Theater? Dogprov is Ruff and Rowdy
Have you ever wondered–can dogs be showpeople? Are canines natural performers who adore the limelight and thrive on the roar of the crowd? Can they take direction? Do they understand […]
Kim Campbell (they/them) is a freelance editor, podcaster and creative writer who has spent a career focusing on the arts, particularly literature, theater and circus. Former editor of CircusTalk News, they have written about theater and circus for Third Coast Review since its very beginning. Kim is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and the International Network of Circus Arts Magazines. In 2019, they were on the jury of FIRCO in Madrid (Circus Festival Iberoamericano) and in 2021 they were on the voting committee for the International Circus Awards. See their tweets at @kimzyn or follow them on Instagram.
Preview: Fall Beckons and Chicago Gets Its Circus On (with Two Tours—CirqueUs and Midnight Circus)
“High-flying, knot-tying, gravity-defying aerialists, loopy jugglers, musicians that pull at your heartstrings, and comedy that will leave you in stitches!” It happens every summer now for the past few years […]
Review: Physical Fest Serves Up Al Fresco Family Fun—Circus, Clowning and Dance in a City Park
Physical Fest has wooed Chicago for eight years now, introducing wonderful international physical theater and circus works, but this year Physical Fest has had to adapt to pandemic restrictions like […]
Review: Teatro Zinzanni Relaunches the Chicago Theater District With Fun, Fantasy and Food
“Of all the Spiegeltents in all the neighborhoods of Chicago, Cleopatra walks into Chef Caesar’s joint…” starts the Teatro Zinzanni program, and I think that statement sets the stage (the […]
Chicago’s Physical Theater Festival Goes Virtual July 17-19
Plans for the 7th annual Physical Theater Festival were full steam ahead when the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic in March and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker […]
Review: The Ghost in Gadsden’s Garden Cracks the Case with Circus and Storytelling by the Actors Gymnasium
The Ghost in Gadsden’s Garden is a charming tale (part coming-of-age story, part Scooby Doo mystery) of the new kid looking to fit in after having just moved to town […]
Review: FLIP Fabrique’s Blizzard Is a Welcome Respite
Here in Chicago, we think we get winter. Our unique understanding of the nuances of lake-effect snow and our ability to gripe endlessly about dibs surely preps us for the […]
Review: Water Will (in Melody) by Ligia Lewis–Dance and Theater (That Confronts)
It begins with storytelling, a dark fairytale to set the tone—one from the Brothers Grimm about a defiant little girl who doesn’t know her place– so God kills her. This […]
Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Twas the Night Before World Premiere Blends Classic and Modern
On opening night of ‘Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil last Friday, Macy’s windows on State Street were decorated with polar creatures enjoying some real winter hygge. People clutching […]
Viewpoint: Fringe FOMO and the Decline of Arts Journalism
I went to Edinburgh this August with the goal of reviewing a small part (namely circus, my professional specialty) of the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in a mad rush. Maneuvering […]
Whisper Theatre Collective’s Double Feature Packs It Up in Chicago, Heads to Edinburgh Fringe
This show is a twofer, a 90-minute packed double-feature by directing power couple Brittany Price Anderson and Richie Schiraldi. The two shows (Wild Women and Oneironauts) are the result of the […]
Preview: Shakespeare’s 12th Night–A Circus Comedy Comes to Theater Wit
If circus be the food of love, play on. It’s a sentiment many experience in the presence of circus arts when masterfully displayed–and what if it also happens to have a […]