Steadstyle Chicago
	October 2009 Theatre Review by Alan Bresloff
	Fedra: Queen of Haiti Each year when Lookingglass Theatre sends out its schedule, I am amazed at what this company brings to the Chicago theater scene.  Their mission is to bring inventive, innovative and collaborative works to their stage; work that can be original or transformed from another work.  This year they are presenting a new twist to a Greek Tragedy, the myth "Phaedra".  This is Euripides' story of power and desire that has also been imagined by Seneca and Jean Racine and now J. Nicole Brooks has taken this story to a new and different level.  We are now in Haiti, and it is a "World Power".  King Theseus (a strong but rigid performance by Morocco Omari) is missing and feared dead.  His wife, the Queen (deftly played  by playwright Brooks) fears that her power will be gone if he is dead and her sons destroyed should her stepson Hippolytus (a powerful performance by Anthony Fleming II) become the ruler.  The struggle for power begins.  She tries to make him her ally, or even her potential husband in order to retain the power she has and keep her sons alive.  He, not knowing what the council will do, suggests that they work with each other. When the council selects Fedra to rule, Hippolytus sends his best men to find his father and they succeed. The King returns only to find chaos as he is told that his son bedded his step-mother and a curse is placed on him.  Hippolytus runs away with Aricia (the lovely Sharina Martin), who he has loved since childhood and who has been a political prisoner for years, so they can restart their lives.  Meanwhile Fedra's aid and confidant Enone (Lisa Tejero, who plays evil to perfection) who has started the story about the "rape" of Fedra, is found out and banished.  She now must do what is done in tragedies, die!  In fact, in a tragedy, one can pretty much tell how close the ending is by who is left to die a tragic death.  Brooks' version handles this with the right dramatic touch and so no one lives happily ever after, except, perhaps the people of Haiti. Directed by veteran Laura Eason, this production is smooth and without error.  The use of the theater at lookingglass, one that can be any size facing any direction is something that Eason manages with great skill.  The set by Meghan Raham is one of simplicity and never takes away from the action going on the stage.  Christine Binder's lighting and Joshua Horvath's sound all work well in bringing this story to life and the music composed by Kevin O'Donnell sets the tone.  The other members of the cast, Lauren Hirte, Michael Salinas and the strikingly beautiful Tamberla Perry as Afrodite, the Goddess, are all outstanding and prove my theory that a production is only as good as the sum of its parts.  Even the smallest of roles has importance to the total picture.  This production is a beautiful picture, thanks to all of the dedicated people on and off the stage at Lookingglass Theatre. Do not let the "tragedy" keep you away from this one.  It is modern, it is powerful and it shows us how much the yearning for power, love and sex, as well as freedom can cost us.  I know people who under normal circumstances would never attend a Greek Tragedy but loved this one, and stayed awake the entire 2 hours in two acts.  This wonderful production will continue through November 15, 2009 at Lookingglass Theatre located at the Historic Water Tower, 821 N. Michigan Avenue (at Pearson).  Performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 3 p.m.  Tickets range from $28-$62 and can be purchased at the box office, by phone at 312-337-0665 or online at www.lookingglasstheatre.org.  There are some special prices.  Target Saturday Matinee program offers buy-one-get one-free subject to availability, and student tickets at $20 can be purchased on the day of performance, again subject to availability.  Discounted parking is available at Olympia Center Parking on Chicago Avenue, east of Michigan.  Bring your ticket with you for validation.  Make sure it is the second parking lot, not the first, OLYMPIA or it will cost you a bundle.   About Alan Bresloff Alan Bresloff, once an actor himself, has been covering the Chicago Theater Scene since 1993, first as the Theater and Arts critic for LaRaza newspaper, then with Salsachicago.com and then onto Extra Newspaper and The Epoch Times.  He also writes for ElImparcial and TeleGuia.  His reviews can also be seen on www.theatreinchicago.com.  Alan does not call himself a "critic" but a "reviewer" as he tries to educate the reader about theater itself, what is a good value, what to look for in a play or musical and more.  "Exposure to theater is a very important part of a young person's life" he says. "Learning about the arts and culture is in fact learning about life" and he tries to explain more in his reviews than just if it is good or bad.  Even some of the poor productions have some value, he often says and he would love your feedback on shows that you have seen.  You can write him here or at albresloff@sbcglobal.net.