Theatre & Stage reviews by SalsaChicago.com critic Al Bresloff

The Uneasy Chair (thru November 27)

One doesn't think of Glencoe as a "theater district", but hidden in this North Shore suburb in a very quaint building on a little street backing downtown Glencoe- Tudor Court (now, tell me, isn't that quaint?) is where Writers' Theatre calls home. This charming little theater is presently running a wonderful, well written play by Evan Smith entitled "The Uneasy Chair", a sort of love story, dealing with marriage in a unique fashion. We are in London, on a cul-de-sac, where the end house is a rooming house owned by Miss Amelia Pickles (the fabulous Linda Kimbrough). A thrifty and independent ex-Calvary man comes to rent a room (the always brilliant Greg Vinkler, who is able to make an audience laugh with just the slightest of glances, and this role was made for his comedic touch) and we go from landlord/tenant relationship to plaintiff/defendant and then to husband/wife relationship. We have a combination of Victorian romance novels, a dash of Dickens and a whole lot of Monty Python as we roll in the aisles with laughter. If these two actors aren't enough, we have the lovely Molly Glynn as the niece of Miss Pickles and the Charming John Sanders as John Darlington, the nephew of Captain Wickett. The attempt to get these youngsters together is what brings about some of the funniest moments.

Just when you think you have all of the ingredients for a wonderful night of theater, Director Michael Halberstam adds just a little more spice to his wonderful staging with the multi talented always hysterical Ross Lehman , playing all of the other parts. In one scene, as a barrister, he works for both the plaintiff and the defendant and is hysterical.Mr. Lehman's performance is the perfect spice to a wonderful recipe. A funny story, with great direction and a perfect cast placed on a wonderful intimate stage with a set that is unique and fitting (Linda Buchanan),fitting costuming by Rachel Anne Healy and sound/music by Andre Pluess (always a treat). It is worth the drive to Glencoe for this one. There is a train station nearby, so it might be fun to train it to Glencoe and be able to walk about the shops and restaurants before the show.

The Uneasy Chair will run through November 27th at the Writers' Theatre located at 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe (take Edens to Dundee Rd ( rt 68) go East to Vernon and South on Vernon until you get to Tudor (about 4 blocks) on your left. Or you can take Green Bay Rd. all the way up to Tudor.

Performances are Tuesday-Fridays at 8 p.m. Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets range from $45-$57 and are available by calling 847-242-6000 or online at www.writerstheatre.org.