Steadstyle Chicago
	April 2009 Theatre Review by Venus Zarris
	The Revenants I place a lot of weight in a theater companies mission statement. It declares what drives the company, what kinds of stories they are drawn to and to what end they wish to move an audience with their efforts.  Some are social, some political, some historical, some humorous and all are ultimately artistic. One might think that a mission statement that begins with, "WildClaw Theatre is dedicated to brining the world of horror to the stage." might be frivolous or childish even. But nothing could be farther from the truth. First off, they have given themselves perhaps the most daunting theatrical challenge, as inducing fear in a live 'make believe' setting is pert near impossible. Creating a suspension of disbelief for live horror is so challenging that they have entered a rigged ball game on the loosing side.  Secondly, creating a safe but convincing communal scare is a seldom-shared tribal catharsis in modern times. But if it can be done it provides a profound stress reliever from all of the day-to-day fears we face. Thirdly, horror, much like science fiction, can explore taboo topics and take us to off-limit places that no other genres dare to tread. Fourthly, no other theater company in Chicago has the guts, or insanity, to dedicate themselves exclusively to this challenge. And finally, it is such good fun. All that said, WildClaw painstakingly and lovingly sets out on this quest with more than just a desire to scare. They approach this mission with drive, talent, skill, and a sophisticated bag of tricks. Everything is in place for the big scare. All they need is the right script, the story with enough meat on its bones to engage and enough fangs to create that visceral bite.  If anyone is going to break that cryptic code and unleash the primal fear, it will be these folks. They are right there on the edge but sadly playwright Scott T. Barsotti's script, although close at times, doesn't quite push them over that edge. The Revenants is a "relationship drama - with zombies." Hiding out in a basement during a violent zombie uprising, two married couples struggle with more than just survival, rather they must determine how long love and commitment can last when partners become the undead? Sound Designer Mikhail Fiksel remarkably front-loads this production with the most bone chilling opening sound edit that I have ever experienced in a play. (I'll leave the details a surprise and trust me when I tell you that it will have your heart pounding!) His work throughout the production is perfect and his lead-in is a genuinely startling overture of peril. Set Designer Charlie Athanas and Lighting Designer Paul Foster make perfect use of the perfect space at Angel Island Theatre. Anne Adams impressively directs an excellent cast. All of the pieces are there but they never fully fall into place as Barsotti's interesting, yet flawed, script meanders off task. You have four people trapped in a basement with bloodthirsty zombies outside. To make matters worse, two of the escapees have been bitten and have turned into full-blown zombies themselves. Because that isn't enough, the two that are left intact are the spouses of the leashed up flesh-eaters! But wait, there's more, about 20 minutes and one or two plot twists too much more.  Gary (living) is married to Molly (zombie) but has been in love with Karen (living) for years, despite the fact that she is married to his best friend Joe (zombie). Karen is desperate to find some trace of Joe left in the deadly, drooling, decomposing hull of her former husband and discovers that before this cataclysmic catastrophe, Joe and Molly (then living but now zombies) had an affair. I'm sorry but if there are zombies on the loose and I'm hold up in a stranger's basement with no food or communication with the outside world, affairs and love triangles are the least of my concerns. I consider myself a romantic and have engaged in, let say 'overlapping' relationships, but faced with an unexplained and horrifyingly savage apocalypse my pragmatism and self-preservation take a front seat. There is plenty of drama in a crisis where your beloved partner is hungry for you, as in dinner rather than as in romance. But The Revenants bites off more than it can chew (ouch!) and more than we can digest with the additional melodramatic exposition. It is precisely this melodrama, in fact, that clouds the terror. I am willing to believe the supernatural crisis, but the potentially profound examination of love's parameters and the horror of the extreme circumstances are mired in the awkward romantic entanglement. I believe the zombies, as Brian Amidei (Joe) and Laura Hooper (Molly) are more than convincing as the famished undead, rather they are amazingly frightening. Together they deliver remarkable non-verbal performances that transcend the zombie cliché to create a very present sense of danger, sadness and dread.  But I don't believe the soap opera as Jenny Strubin (Karen) and Ryan Patrick Dolan (Gary), although gifted actors, cannot balance the present's critical crisis with the past's emotional dysfunction. Still, WildClaw's Midwest premiere of The Revenants creates enough atmosphere and suspense to make this night of the living dead well worth your time. This is only their third main stage production but already they are showing that they are serious about the scare as well as dedicated to the drama. I am more than hopeful that they will turn this rigged ballgame around and create a triumphantly terrifying production. The Revenants represents a rocky, yet exciting, inning in this game. And just think of how much more exciting it will be to see them win it, if you have actually witnessed them bat their way to the game-winning run. The Revenants represents a unique opportunity to watch a wildly ambitious company, comprised of talented and charming people, take a thrilling step closer to accomplishing their exciting mission. If you love horror and/or unusual theater, The Revenants should not be missed. The Revenants runs through May 24, 2009 at Angel Island Theatre, 731 W. Sheridan. For more information visit www.wildclawtheatre.com or call 773-220-1258.   About Venus Zarris Venus Zarris is the Editor and Chief Writer for ChicagoStageReview.com. She is a feature writer and theater critic for Gay Chicago Magazine, as well as other print and on-line publications. Her writing has been featured at colleges and universities in Illinois and Michigan and on National Public Radio. Venus's photography and writing is on permanent collection at the New York Historical Society and the Library of Congress.  Steadstyle Chicago is proud to welcome Venus' intelligent, witty and provocative writing to our site.