The Saints were out on Saturday
at Night Over Erzinga
10/15/2012 11:56 AM
There were at least two people in the audience on Saturday afternoon at the press opening for Silk Road Rising's new production, "Night Over Erzinga," who knew that I was totally loving it. They know my type of play when they see it because veteran South Loopers Miriam and Donna--members of my neighborhood book club--and I have been going to plays together for years. They know that a play about four generations of an Armenian family rife with mistakes, regrets, sorrow, rapprochement and redemption is the kind of domestic poignancy and drama I like.
Miriam and Donna are Saints--which means they get all dressed up in black and white, usher up a storm during all the productions in Chicago--and see the plays for free. They always tell me where they will be ushering so I can join them in the audience on that day and time if I can. If not, they always send me their thoughts about the plays they've seen. And they can usually spot one I'd really like (or not) because they have such a reference file on my predilections. From so much playgoing together.
So I knew during the two-and-a-half-hour-plus performance on Saturday exactly what they were thinking. They knew they didn't have to right quick tell me to see it because I was there seeing it. But if they had had to, they would have said, "See it; it's your kind of play."
The theater is run by another couple of South Loop pals, Malik and Jamil--and they always stage good ones in their lower-level Chicago Temple theater. And this one is one of the best--in fact, it's already Jeff-Recommended, according to Malik.
So, go see it before it closes November 11.
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By Bruce from Prairie District
Posted: 10/15/2012 12:57 PM
A wonderful play. The story was so compelling and told in a way that kept me totally immersed. And try to plan a dinner at Sayat Nova either before or after. You\'ll understand the play\'s Paklava reference then.