We've already raved about Steppenwolf's current production of Endgame, Samuel Beckett's post-apocalyptic puzzler which runs through June 6. Now we get a rare chance to see a revival of one of the best Beckett homages of all time. more ›

Endgame takes place in a post-apocalyptic world (or perhaps in the mind of Hamm, the crotchety would-be King of this microcosmic, bizarre realm), in a nonspecific, dank, grey room with towering walls and two teeny, barred windows reachable only by ladder. Surrounded by a dark void (in the form of an empty orchestra pit between audience and stage), the setting could be a fortress, a prison, a mental hospital, an exceptionally depressing nursing home, or, well, nowhere. As with practically everything else in the play, the metaphors are endless, and making a specific decision is neither required nor desirable. Beckett certainly makes you think - but there is a looming danger of overthinking. Be careful, or your brain will explode. more ›

When we think Eugene O'Neill, we think "long." When we think Samuel Beckett, we think "odd." Their respective one-act plays Hughie and Krapp's Last Tape, currently sharing the mainstage bill at Goodman, prove us wrong on both accounts. Though these two surprisingly accessible short pieces take two entirely different approaches in their exploration of loneliness and the inconsequential nature of life, the similarities are profound. Parallel conclusions are reinforced by contrasting, rich portrayals of the two main characters by one great actor, Brian Dennehy. more ›

Barney Rosset is the most famous person you've never heard of. But you've probably heard of some of the authors he's published: Samuel Beckett, D.H Lawrence, Henry Miller, Jean Genet, Malcolm X and William S. Burroughs just to name a few. Born into a wealthy Chicago family, he grew up here in the city and attended the Francis W. Parker School (where one of his classmates was filmmaker Haskell Wexler). more ›

more ›

As its name suggests, Theater on the Lake combines two of our favorite Chicago attractions. There’s nothing quite like seeing a fantastic show after an evening lakefront stroll. But there’s also nothing quite like wondering what the hell you just saw while darting through puddles and thunderstorms to get back to the bus. Thankfully, most of our memories attached to the shed at Fullerton and LSD belong to that first category. And this year’s lineup... more ›

Your big Valentine’s Evening need not be threatened by a lack of ideas or lack of cash. You can impress that special someone tonight for absolutely free! Yes, that sounds like bad email spam but it’s true. Many of our favorite museums are free on Tuesdays. more ›

Note: This is Part 2 of an occasional series. Part 1 can be found here. Theater companies have been working overtime lately, killing a forest to print their brochures and flooding inboxes with exciting emails—You Just Can’t Miss This Season!, We’ve Got Stuff You Can’t See Anywhere Else!, and Its’ Our Anniversary! Are You Going To Stand Me Up On Our Anniversary?!?! It’s a lot of clutter and noise, but it’s far more interesting than... more ›

Note: This is Part 1 of a series. You didn't think we'd cover every company in one post, did you? On the first day of summer the last thing on your mind is how you’ll spend next winter. But more than a few theater companies hope that in between getting cultured outdoors and gulping down overpriced beverages at festivals, you’ll reserve a subscription for 2005-2006. It's impossible in June to know who will curry favor... more ›