Steadstyle Chicago
	April 2008 Theatre Review by Ruth Smerling
	Looking for a Ticket Broker? Check out the hottest broadway tickets from Gotickets.com The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Critical Evaluation: *** out of ****   (Left) Evan Lee, Mark Czoske, Kathy Logelin, Benjamin Montague; (Right) Michael Patrick Thornton and Paul D'Addario in "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" at Gift Theatre. I saw "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" in New York City a few years ago.  It seemed like it couldn’t miss.  It was performed by the Labryinth Theatre, whose artistic director is none other than Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman.  Plus, Sam Rockwell played Judas and Eric Bogosian played Satan and the rest of the cast was largely familiar TV actors.  What could go wrong?  For starters, Steven Adly Guirgis’ script was over two hours of one-liners in which angels and saints appear as foul-mouthed thugs.  Not even the cast filled with cherished luminaries could make this one rest easy.  Guirgis muses on how hard it may be for Judas Iscariot to get into heaven after not only committing suicide, but turning on the Messiah too.  Ever the TV writer, he has the case heard in a "Night Court" style courtroom in Purgatory, in the burg of Hope.  The judge (Mark Czoske) is a hardnose who reads the motion and immediately rejects the plea.  But a persistent defense attorney Fabiana Cunningham (Kathleen Logelin) insists.  After that, it’s downhill.  The rest is all one-liners and schtick.  Saint Monica (Liza Fernandez) is an insult to Latinas everywhere as the girl gang member, brash and aggressive as a bulldozer who can swear like a truckdriver.    Michael Patrick Thornton seems to have an impeccable handle on the heart of Judas.  Though others scurry about to help him and guarantee his soul, he seems to have given up all hope.  At least until he meets Paul D’Addario, an actor to keep any eye on, as Satan.  He saunters in with all the style and panache of Frank Sinatra and the icy steel of Paul Newman.  As the witnesses are called, most memorable is a flawless performance by Lindsey Peaerlman as Mother Theresa.  All the actors wear many hats as usual and John Kelly Connelly is invincible as he zooms from character to character, spanning time zones and age differences.  The attorney for the prosecution, Benjamin Montague, is as agile and charming as Joel Grey and keeps the trial moving along.  "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is the kind of work the writer refused to edit.  Chopping off an hour would have been like sapping a vein or something.  Director Kevin Christopher Fox and the superb cast make the best of it, delivering the jokes with a wallop every time, and doing some of their best work to date.  "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" has been extended through May 18, 2008 at the Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Avenue, in the heart of Jefferson Park and easily accessible to the Blue Line.  Phone 773-283-7071 or visit www.thegifttheatre.org for tickets and information.     About Ruth Smerling Ruth Smerling began work as an entertainment writer while attending the prestigious University of Illinois School of Communications.  She persuaded the school paper to assign her to review the film "Get Shorty," starring John Travolta.  Unfortunately her work was a little too brutal for the UIC paper and that was also her last assignment.  Nevertheless, the need to write and communicate could not be extinguished and fortunately her reviews received a warm welcome by the Editor-In-Chief of College News, Daphne Robinson who named her the Reel Goddess from 1993 to 2003.  Ruth covered film festivals all over the North America and interviewed countless movie stars, directors and authors.  Meeting the French Director Bertrand Tavernier at the Chicago Film Festival was the turning point in her movie reviewing experience.  He presented a brilliant film called "It All Starts Today".  He explained that she loved his films so much because American films are enjoyable, but must sell as much popcorn and Coca-Cola as they do tickets.  Since 2003 Ruth has been submitting controversial and thought provoking reviews to Theatreworld Internet Magazine and is pleased to report that people around the world send her e-mails inquiring about Chicago theatre, actors, directors and productions underway.  Ruth is delighted to be part of the Steadstyle website and looks forward to a long and happy association.