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: Steppenwolf’s “Linda Vista” is a chilling comedy about irresponsibility and getting old

First Look review: Steppenwolf’s “Linda Vista” is a chilling comedy about irresponsibility and getting old

By TheRealChicagoOnline
April 16, 2017
701
0
Share:

By Zak Buczinsky

Playing at: Written by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Tracy Letts, Linda Vista plays at the Steppenwolf Theatre through May 28, 2017. For ticket information, visit www.Steppenwolf.org

Overview: When I went to the Steppenwolf Theatre to see Linda Vista — a self-proclaimed “play about irresponsible behavior” — I was expecting a romp. The poster of a middle-aged man drinking a beer on a beach that advertised the show prepared me for an unserious ride full of alcohol and debauched humor, but even though this play did have its fair share of drunken lechery, it turned out to be a much more thought-provoking experience than I expected.

Basic storyline: Wheeler is 50 and going through a divorce. His relationship with his son is weak, he drinks too much, and he has accepted that his career is going nowhere. Things appear to be looking up when Wheeler finally moves out of his ex-wife’s garage, but when he gets mixed up with two different women (one of them 24 and pregnant), his life spirals out of control and he is forced to re-examine his behavior and choices.

Part of what affected me so much was the reality and rawness of it. Full of unrestrained profanity, frank discussions about the world and two fully nude sex scenes, there is something painfully honest about this performance.

What stood out: In some ways, this is a simple comedy about a mid-life crisis; it has all the classic elements of one — irresponsible sex, drunken celebrations, even a spontaneous tattoo. The show is loaded with snappy comments and witty retorts, most of them from Wheeler himself, who never seems to be at a loss for words and has an opinion on everything. There are outrageous moments that summoned roaring laughter from the audience, but what really struck me about this play were the moments that summoned silence in the theatre.

Part of what affected me so much was the reality and rawness of it. Full of unrestrained profanity, frank discussions about the world and two fully nude sex scenes, there is something painfully honest about this performance. At one point in the play, when Wheeler is comparing his life to that of a butterfly, he snaps off the line, “I will die a caterpillar.” The line released a wave of chuckles throughout the audience, but there is something more sinister in the witty retort when you consider how it is partly that very opinion that leads Wheeler to his poor decisions.

Although full of laughs, this play has an ultimately chilling effect. By the end of the performance, horror replaces humor as we see the consequences of Wheeler’s irresponsibility. The end of the show isn’t exactly sad, but it isn’t very happy either, and although my sympathy for Wheeler remained, I found myself harboring a fair bit of disgust for the character by the end.

Final thoughts: Perhaps it was my expectation of a night of light comedy that made this play affect me so much, but when I got home after the show, I found myself unable to sleep. I kept comparing myself to the main character, and although I’m not half his age, I was disturbed by the similarities between us. I think this show manages to tap into the personality of a very specific type — the loveable, childish and devastating thinker whose life is on a downward slope. Everyone understands occasional irresponsibility and, as such, it is impossible not to see oneself in the character of Wheeler.

TagsChicago TheatreLinda VistaPulitzerSteppenwolfThe Real ChicagoTony AwardTracy Letts
Previous Article

Chicago’s Signature Dishes: The gamberoni with ...

Next Article

A round of drinks at Safehouse: Bring ...

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

TheRealChicagoOnline

Related articles More from author

  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: The Goodman’s “Ah, Wilderness” is a funny, endearing tale of teenage heartache

    July 8, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • The Big City Blog

    The Big City Blog: Steppenwolf’s Front Bar, “Saved by the Bell” pop-up diner, Ravenswood On Tap beer fest and Lollapalooza ...

    June 8, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: “Eternal Youth” at the Museum of Contemporary Art gives a provocative perspective on pop culture

    March 30, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • My Chicago

    My Chicago: What restaurant in Chicago do you most want to try for the first time?

    February 15, 2013
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: The lively, colorful production of “42nd Street” brings much-needed spring flair to the Cadillac Palace Theatre

    March 10, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Signature Dishes

    Chicago’s signature dishes: The brioche cinnamon roll and fennel sausage and egg pizza at Osteria La Madia

    June 1, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownHidden GemsOther Recent Articles

    Chicago’s hidden gems: Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Unabridged Bookstore, Lulu Belle’s Pancake House and TNT at The Annoyance

  • Around TownHidden Gems

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

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Relationship rejuvenation: Try these unique ideas for adding some romance and fun

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.
© Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.