palatino;””>www.chicagocritic.com – “”Aunt Dan & Lemon”” – Provocative storytelling works due to a couple of terrific performances.

I’m not sure what to make of Wallace Shawn’s Aunt Dan and Lemon

Aunt Dan moves from friend of Lemon’s parents to her personal confident that began when Lemon was eleven years old.

At first I thought this work was a weird coming-of-age memory play but after listening to Aunt Dan’s rambling monologue about her hero

now in a riveting production by Backstage Theatre Company in the intimate basement studio at Chopin Theatre.  Aunt Dan is a dark cautionary tale – a black comedy and a mordant  tale about the chilling subversive nature of influence.  This is a play that demands sharp listening skills as it contains several long monologues about geopolitics
the nature of societal survival

Wallace Shawn

Author

Matthew Reeder

Director

Brenda Barrie; Anita Deely; Caitlin Emmons; Ron Kuzava; Eric Paskey; Michael Reyes and Rebekah Ward-Hays

Performers

Scenic Design – Heath Hays; Ligh Design – Brandon Wardell; Sound Design – Tom Haigh; Costume Design – Joanna Melville; Props Design – Megan E. Frei; Stage Manager – Jen Poulin

Tags

“”>provocative ideas and eerie treatment on the power of influence.  This is a well acted cautionary tale that begs to be seen.

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