The Real Chicago

Top Menu

  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

Main Menu

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

logo

Header Banner

The Real Chicago

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
  • Chicago’s hidden gems: Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Unabridged Bookstore, Lulu Belle’s Pancake House and TNT at The Annoyance

  • New on the scene: Recapping recent restaurant and bar openings in Chicago

  • The Big City Blog: A Chicago summer bucket list

  • Outdoor drinking: A guide to some of our favorite beer gardens and rooftops in Chicago

  • A day at the museum: Exploring the iconic Field Museum in Chicago

First Look - Reviews
Home›featured-blogs›First Look - Reviews›First Look review: Greenhouse Theater’s “Uncle Phillip’s Coat” is a brilliant one-man show that explores family, right of passage and what defines you as a person

First Look review: Greenhouse Theater’s “Uncle Phillip’s Coat” is a brilliant one-man show that explores family, right of passage and what defines you as a person

By TheRealChicagoOnline
December 5, 2016
546
0
Share:

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

unclephilipscoat-3

By Michael Dritto

Playing at: The Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Park. Showtimes are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. It runs Dec. 3-31. (No performances at 8 p.m. Dec. 24, 25 or 31.)

Basic storyline: Uncle Phillip’s Coat is a one-man show that is less of a narrative and more of a character study of the individuals we meet through the lens of the coat that once belonged to Uncle Phillip. We start through the perspective of Matty, an actor who has recently inherited the garment from his late Uncle Phillip. As we travel through his complex relationship and comedic follies with the coat, we are introduced to his dad, and eventually to Uncle Phillip himself. Through their memories, we are invited to relive the hopes, dreams and tragedies that bring to life the character that is the coat.

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

What stood out: Gene Weygandt is a three-time Jeff Award nominee and an absolute tour de force in this show. He masterfully creates three uniquely separate characters who are drawn together by their similarities to create an end product that is both beautiful and sad. With this performance, I would not be surprised to see him nominated for a fourth.

The set design is simple but does an efficient job at simulating both the personality of the coat and the man who was most known for wearing it. We find ourselves in what seems to be a deteriorated apartment, with only the wooden skeleton panels of the walls apparent; some of it covered solely by drapes.

The apartment is dirty and bare, dressed with only a few items of worth and littered with stacks of old newspapers. It helps present an adequate portrayal of how we imagine Philip lived as a young man to the heartbreakingly hopeful character we eventually come to know.

Final thoughts: As part of the Greenhouse Theater Center’s Solo Celebration series, Uncle Phillip’s Coat runs for 65 minutes with no intermission. It is a one-man show that feels like a small ensemble that explores family, right of passage and what defines you as a person. Pass the word to your friends: Go see this show.

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

TagsChicago TheaterChicago TheatreGene WeygandtGreenhouse TheaterJeff AwardUncle Phillip's Coat
Previous Article

The Big City Blog: “Christmas Around the ...

Next Article

The Big City Blog: Breaking down the ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

TheRealChicagoOnline

Related articles More from author

  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: Greenhouse Theater Center’s bold “Machinal” provides a feminist perspective on traditional marriage

    August 24, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: Disney’s “Newsies” is a stirring, high-energy performance

    August 1, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: “Noises Off” at the Windy City Playhouse is a wonderfully self-aware farce of a farce, brought to ...

    February 6, 2019
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • OldThe Big City Blog

    Big City Blog: NYE dinner cruises, Taco Joint lunch deals and plenty of holiday events around Chicago

    November 28, 2013
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - ReviewsOld

    First look review: Barnum at the Mercury Theater

    May 2, 2013
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: The Goodman’s “Yasmina’s Necklace” is a heartwarming love story told through a unique lens

    November 11, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownHidden Gems

    Chicago’s hidden gems: Sandmeyer’s Bookstore, Margie’s Candies and the Town Hall Pub

  • Around TownMy Chicago

    My Chicago: If you can only eat out once this spring, where are you going and what are you ordering?

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    New on the scene: Recapping recent restaurant and bar openings in Chicago

  • LATEST REVIEWS

  • TOP REVIEWS

Timeline

  • November 11, 2021

    Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

  • July 31, 2019

    Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & Ash

  • July 30, 2019

    First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater experience

  • July 28, 2019

    Finger lickin’ good: Six trusted Chicago spots for a stellar barbecue experience

  • July 25, 2019

    The Big City Blog: Four Friday Night Flights beer tastings remain this summer, including July 26 in Ravenswood

Latest Comments

  • The 14 Best Fireplaces in Chicago | UrbanMatter
    on
    October 11, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: The Real Chicago […]

    Cozy on up: We asked active Chicagoans for their favorite spots to warm up in the ...

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum | FreeForAll.org
    on
    January 16, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum – FreeForAll.org
    on
    October 23, 2016
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • The Real Chicago – The Big City Blog: A very Chicago night on the town
    on
    May 31, 2016
    […] up was The Redhead Piano Bar for drinks and live music. I’ve said it before ...

    Friendly, unfussy, and serious about music: Hanging with Marshall Nelson from the Redhead Piano Bar

  • Scouting Logan Square: A Renewed Historical Neighborhood - The Annex, a blog by Casamatic
    on
    March 10, 2016
    […] (cover photo via The Real Chicago) […]

    The rise of Logan Square: Why this diverse area has quickly become one of Chicago’s hottest ...

Find us on Facebook

Originally launched in 2006, The Real Chicago — as a glossy entertainment magazine, website and email newsletter — has consistently provided the very best insider information, features and reviews to help both tourists and active locals get the most out of exploring the greatest city on Earth.
  • Latest Posts

  • Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    November 11, 2021
  • Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 31, 2019
  • First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 30, 2019

Photostream

    Follow us

    © Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.