The Weir

Don’t Miss” – Time Out Chicago – “On the surface, it might not seem like much—a group of lonely pub regulars in a small Irish town regale the mysterious new girl with bits of local folklore and ghost stories—but McPherson’s subtly crafted script grows almost imperceptibly from this slight premise into a lesson about the power of stories, both the art of storytelling and, more importantly, the act of sharing our histories. The gents, at first, are only looking to impress the first new face the pub has seen in ages. While the tales of “faerie roads” and spirit sightings are entertaining enough (and charmingly told), it’s when Valerie is moved by these stories to share her own that McPherson’s true intentions make themselves known. Prentice has assembled an above-average cast and credibly created the dynamic of guys who have known each other literally all their lives. Hoerl in particular is in fine form as the cantankerous old man of the group, his grizzly charm making up for his unsteady dialect. Joseph Stearns is strong in the play’s least showy role, but wide-eyed Melanie Keller shines brightest as the newcomer. She spends the first half of the play quietly taking in the chatter around her, but when Valerie opens up with her own story, Keller quite capably takes command. What’s most remarkable about the play is that so much seems unremarkable, as the pieces come quietly into place. Even the intimate setting by Melania Lancy becomes a collaborator—by the end of the evening we want nothing more than a pint of Guinness and the company of friends. That’s exactly the response this stirring production should provide” – Kris Vire, TimeOut Chicago 2/28/07

“A rural Irish pub on a wet night provides the setting for an evening of ghost stories, which begin with fairies and end with real loss, told by four locals and a newly arrived Dublin woman. Christopher Prentice’s staging for Signal Ensemble Theatre features a note-perfect set by Melania Lancy and subtle, unhurried performances that manage to avoid the script’s occasional drunken-blarney cliches. Melanie Keller as the seemingly upbeat newcomer skillfully unveils her character’s troubled core, with grace and unblinking vulnerability” – Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader 3/1/07

“..Our welcome at a play where the onstage action is centered almost wholly upon the barroom rites of swapping lies—with a break or two for watering and un-watering—depends, first, on how convivial we find the company and, second, on how gripping we find their blarney. Fortunately, the cast, assembled by Christopher Prentice for this Signal Ensemble production, all but glows with the warmth and camaraderie of players thoroughly comfortable with one another, much as set designer Melania Lancy’s taproom ( with its meticulously-selected wall decoration ) reflects the cozy insularity of regional trade dating back generations, if not centuries. And with a winter storm blustering outside on opening night, who wouldn’t be happy to stop awhile in its cozy confines for a ghostly tale or two delivered in Phil Timberlake’s excellent dialects? The Weir runs a riveting 90 minutes, and we are never more sorry than when it’s over” – Mary Shen Barnridge, Windy City Times 3/7/07