Another trip to Writers'

I was glad to receive an invitation to the opening of Writers' Theatre's Production of Maids. I was hoping to see more friends this time and see another good show.

Well it was very cold yesterday, so cold I almost decided to stay home rather than brave the chill night air. But hopes of seeing friends won out and we headed to the train.

It was SO COLD we had to make pit stops in the Walgreens before and Chase Bank after riding the bus to warm up. Was super glad to find friend, Kipp waiting for the train when we got there. He has a lovely smile. And riding the train together again was a treat.

Check out that long hair. Looks good without the beard.
I was also happy to have my new tiny camera that fit inside my tiny purse with me. Unfortunatley I have yet to take a good picture with it, so please excuse the blurry, closed eyes, and generally not up to par photography. I will get the hang of the camera soon. I hope.

Any way, Glencoe was alight with holiday lights.
Making it feel cheerful, although cold. We had lots of time, so made a pitt-stop at the Starbucks where we found Chris McLinden. What joy! I hadn't seen him since Celebrity Row and he looked good, as always. The four of us walked over, looking forward to free drinks afterward.
On to the theatre, the bookstore space is small and so warrents three nights of openings. This is apparently the lost opening. Just the director was in attendence, no production team or much of the staff. Dissappointing, but glad to see director Jimmy and stage manager Richard.

Before we knew it they were flashing the lights and we headed for our seats. People chatted and talked and suddenly there were two actresses on the stage, one in a slip the other in a maid's outfit. The curtain announcement was in both english and french. Wished I knew french because I had a feeling that there were some jokes in the french translation.
Oh well. The show went on from there, a dramatic acting out of these two maids killing their mistress. the one in the slip pretends to be the mistress, physically and verbally abusing the other, while the other is worked up into a murderous frenzy. They dispise her and yet the one in the position of the maid seems to have an almost sexual devotion to the mistress. Disturbing, when we find out that the other maid, play acting as the mistress is her sister. At first I thought it was a lebianic fantasy, whether the true love was for the mistress or the girl, I wasn't sure, but then when found out it is her sister...Oh the french.

I struggled with the play. Although the actresses were obviously giving their all, I couldn't get into the text of the play. Even though it was relatively short, with no intermission, I found myself impatient with the plot, wanting it to move along. Then at the end, when I really wanted to see what happened next, that was it. Oh well. The acting was phenominal. The mistress that comes in for the center section of the play and steals the show. A funny oasis. I didn't know any of the actresses, but I hope to see them again sometime. Mike had the excelent point that if a director saw the play it would be good for the ladies, it really shows their chops.
So don't know if I would reccommend this play for the fun of it. But the acting is tops.

Afterward we were doubly disappointed to find no drinks. No fun. And when Chris offered a ride how, we slid on out. Sorry I didn't talk to Richard more.

But we were still wanting a drink, so last moment decided to stop in Lincoln Square for a drink.

A great little bar the boys got whiskey and I got a vodka gimlet. yum. We all caught up and chatted about anything and everything. Surprise Tamales selling guy brightened up the night considerably for the guys. Loved it. Seeing friends, even if I only do every couple of months is still uplifting. Life goes so fast and it is hard to stop and make connections.
That is what theatre has done for me. Make connections, not the job kind, but the friend kind, the husband kind. And I am grateful to it.