Bohemian Theatre Ensemble Offers Up A Sexy And Sad "Hello Again"

Playing each Thursday through Sunday from now until May 1, 2010, the 1993 off-Broadway musical "Hello Again" is on the boards at the Heartland Studio space on Glenwood Avenue, courtesy of the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble. With book, music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa (one of the much-touted "post-Sondheim" writers to emerge just before the end of the last century), this show pays light homage to the twentieth century by setting one of its ten scenes in each of that century's decades. That the decades don't come in chronological order is the first clue that the whole system is a mere trifling detail--LaChiusa is much more interested in the order of the generically named characters, not the order of events.

The show is based on the play "La Ronde" by Arthur Schnitzler, updated and transported to America. And LaChiusa follows it faithfully, but with one other change--one of the characters is changed from female to male. And this greatly opens up the dramatic possibilities of the piece. For the structure of the show is this--there are ten characters, and each one of them leaves a sexual situation at the end of a scene, only to enter another one, with a different partner, in the scene immediately following. That is to say, the Soldier from the first scene encounters the Nurse in the second scene, who encounters the College Boy in the third scene, and so on as we meet in order the Young Wife, the Husband, the Young Thing (now male), the Writer, the Actress, the Senator and the Whore. Only we've met the Whore before, with the Soldier in scene one. Thus, the "round" is complete, and the song "Hello Again" can be meaningfully reprised. 

And did I mention the sex? Yeah, there's a lot of it. And I don't mean that it's real--no one gets fully naked, though some actors are pretty close to it and the theater only has 31 seats (the audience gets pretty close to it, too, actually!). I also don't mean that the songs stop while there are musical interludes or fade-to-black lighting cues. Nope. The actors keep right on singing, while seducing, coupling, oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex- -pretty much anything and everything. Oh, and did I mention that for the most part the songs don't rhyme, seem pretty hard to learn and that the one-person orchestra (musical director Nick Sula) is behind the actors, hidden behind the cleverly designed rotating wood panel set? There's almost no dialogue. It's a lot for this impressive company of singing actors to manage. And yet, manage they do, magnificently. In a show definitely not meant for children. Yeah. 

This production is remarkable intimate, in several ways.  Small theater, small cast, sexual situations, mostly solo and duet numbers, one piano, no microphones (that's all very Chicago, isn't it?), and, to top it all, emotional rawness, even melancholy, while these archetypal personalities struggle and usually fail to make a real connection in their lives. In the first half of the intermissionless ninety minutes, the character who we already know usually has the upper hand in the sexual dynamic, and their partner (or is it prey?) is a victim or is somehow submissive. Quite a pattern of revenge or "taking what I deserve" is set up. In the second half that pattern is broken, so that by the end it isn't clear who is taking advantage of who, or what will happen to the characters after they vanish from our view. Really, all we are left with is a lot of hurt, sad characters, unable to find what they are looking for, and we ache for them. Is this what the world in the twentieth century came down to? Are we any better off? 

The performers are all good, or they wouldn't be in this show. This is demanding and rewarding material, both musically and dramatically. And they are all attractive, or certainly make you believe that they are! But I do have to mention Erin Creighton in the pivotal role of the Young Wife (beautifully nuanced and shaded performance), Tom McGunn as the Soldier (looks great, sounds great, acts great), Adrianna Parson as the Nurse (such a gamut of emotions and voices she displayed!) and Adam Fane as the Young Thing (fearless, and at such a young age). Fane's sexy scene with the Writer of Ben Burke is enough to give one heart palpitations, as is Parson's risqué romp with the College Boy of Sean Knight. Rounding out the cast are Kevin Bishop (the ambiguous Husband), Christina Hall (the Whore as wounded huntress), and noted cabaret artists Robert Wharton and Heather Townsend as the conflicted Senator and the dramatic Actress.

"Hello Again" was directed by Michael Ryczek and Stephen Rader, and choreographed by Genny Perrino, with an eye to the emotional core at the heart of the songs LaChiusa penned. These are complex human beings, and it shows. Stephen M. Genovese's interesting set provides just a touch of each decade to the scenes, and allows for multiple entrances and exits as well as for isolation and stark emptiness. Christine Ferriter's lighting is impressive for accomplishing much under tight, controlled circumstances, and the costumes of Ricky Lurie make the cast sexy and fun, frequently in stark contrast to their revealed lives (and never before has underwear played such a crucial role in a non-rock musical). 

This show will never appeal to the masses, nor should it. It's for grown-ups who know what goes on in the world, and who don't shy away from the dark places. The songs, while beautifully constructed, don't remain with you, but The Situations surely do. And the sexiness. And the sadness. And the hope that maybe, just maybe, the next time might be the best time, and the last time. If you want to see it, you definitely want to see it. Hello again, everyone. 

"Hello Again" by Michael John LaChiusa plays weekends through May 1, 2010 at BoHo Theatre at the Heartland Studio, 7016 N. Glenwood Avenue in Chicago. For tickets call 866-811-4111 or visit www.BoHoTheatre.com.   

Photos:   (top) Sean Knight and Adrianna Parson; (middle) Adam Fane and Ben Burke; (bottom) Tom McGunn and Christina Hall

Photo Credit: Brandon Dahlquist

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