A stunning world premiere looks inside the exotic world of the rich, young and pretty.
Devour
Centerstage Show Review
Reviewer: John Dalton
Tuesday May 08, 2012
“All my life I have been extraordinarily bored,” cries Anais to the ceiling and everyone who chooses to hear, “and now, I am entertainment incarnate!” She’s standing in a prison jumpsuit, armed with a lit cigarette and a practiced sneer, looking as proud and single minded as Antigone outside the gates of Thebes.
“Devour” is a fantastic play, worthy of a place on the shelf next to “Less Than Zero;” the heroine, Anais, ready for her closeup next to Leopold and Loeb. I choose the word ‘heroine’ carefully; she would not, at first glance, qualify for the title. Yet I found myself unable to resist rooting for her, and I wondered why. And that, and so many other reasons, is why I think this play is fantastic.
Director Jacqueline Stone and her fine cast from 20% Theatre Company should be given a shipping container full of cash and be told, immediately, to do the show again. While not true of every show, I think “Devour” would benefit greatly from having money firehosed on it. It is, after all, a play about The Fantastically Rich and Beautiful People that dominate Twitter and TMZ; those people have expensive stuff. It’s the whole point, actually. The trio of actors playing Anais and her two accessories are excellent; all three have a really clear understanding of how to use the stage, take space, tell a story without saying a word. Given costumes that move like Versace, they would be positively magnetic; terrifying, even. Not to disparage the work done by designer kClare (sic) Kemock; the costumes work well, as does the rest of the show, especially given the resources most small Chicago theater companies operate on.
It’s a great play, and a fine production; thought-provoking, timely, smart, funny, and sharp. Please support these fine artists and go check it out.
