Steadstyle Chicago
	February 2010 Theatre Review by Alan Bresloff
	I Killed My Mother Theatre Y is a new company here in Chicago, one that as its mission desires to create a culture of theatrical "koinonia", which allows a cross culture between the US and other countries.  Communion by intimate participation is what they represent.  Their current work, "I Killed My Mother" by Andras Visky is a fictional story but is strongly based on the true story of a Romanian orphan, one of the thousands, who were the results of the reproductive policies of Dictator Ceausescu.  During his regime contraception was outlawed as was abortion, so many women just left their children at the hospital after giving birth.  They did so in order to perhaps allow their children to eat and have a place to live.  Orphanages and homes were built to deal with these children, but many, due to the conditions became ill and perished.  Some did escape, and others are still feeling the shame and ridicule of a fate they had no control of. In this particular story we meet Bernadette, played with tremendous power by Melissa Hawkins, who is a member of Studio K in Budapest, Hungary.  She is the Gypsy orphan girl that has been left behind and we travel her story over 90 minutes in 18 powerful scenes.  We begin at the end, where she thinks she has found her mother, only to find she is not accepted.  We then go back in time to when she was a girl at the home and her meeting with her best friend Clip.  Now, Clip is an interesting character, a little boy about 8 or 9 who is being punished by having to put a metal "clip" on his tongue for saying improper things.  Bernadette defends him and also has a clip applied to her tongue. As they communicate and become close, he teaches her how to speak even with this clip on her tongue and as time goes on, they vow to always stay together, even after they perish.  Each ties their clip on a shoelace and places it around the other's neck as a necklace and a symbol of their love.  They are truly soul-mates.  This character is skillfully played by Andrew Livingston, a local actor who has had training with the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia.  Thus both of these actors have a great understanding of the Eastern European theater.  It is Clip who keeps Bernadette's spirit alive as she is taken to a foster home but not adopted.  He teaches her how to survive in what he calls "the realm of never".  She learns to excise parasitic relationships and to create her own identity and to turn her back on the past that has neglected her feelings and to "kill" those who stand in her way of happiness.. Director Karin Coonrod uses an almost bare stage to tell this story, and with very moderate use of lights by Peter Ksander and simple costuming by Oana Boetz-Ban, she does so at a nice pace.  There are very few dead spots and when one is dealing with an intense story that is very poetic in nature, slow spots can lose an audience.  Not one person in the almost full house made a sound and their eyes were glued on our two actors from start to end.  Visky has a wonderful way of using language.  I won't reveal the result of the play or the mystery of the interpretation of the character of Clip as I feel that each patron will see it as they feel it and I believe that to be the intent of Visky.  Coonrod follows the pattern to perfection.  There was some delightful music to make this a true theatrical experience that brings cultures together. You can take advantage of this work by visiting the Greenhouse Theater located at 2257 N. Lincoln Avenue through March 14 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are only $15-$20, which is a bargain for theater of this quality.  For tickets call 773-404-7336 or visit www.greenhousetheater.org.  To learn more about this young theater company, visit www.theatre-y.com.    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.