Small Space, 'EPIC' Laughs for Project 891

Project 891's artistic director Ron Popp promises "no tragic ending or weighty social issues ... [but a] comedy, pure and simple" in his director's note for EPIC PROPORTIONS. He couldn't be more right. While there's nothing ultimately life-changing about Larry Coen and David Crane's 1930's Hollywood spoof, Popp has assembled a hard-working and joke-selling troupe of performers who nail their occasionally generic material.

Project 891, a newer Chicago theatre company who focuses on lesser known and undiscovered plays, tackles the gladiatorial task of staging PROPORTIONS in Chemically Imbalanced Theatre's teeny tiny space. With swords, spears, and one-liners flying, it's a space which highlights the skilled cast's comedic slapstick timing as a story unfolds about the greatest Hollywood epic never completed. Louise Goldman (Anna Schutz) is a she-means-well girl from Alaska, thrown into the desert to coordinate thousands of extras on famed director D.W. Dewitt's (Robert Kaercher) latest epic, Exeunt Omnes. Louise sparks a love triangle between two wannabe actor brothers, Benny and Phil (Matt Lozano and Cole Simon), as tensions mount on and off the set. Simon's charm as the controlling Phil and Lozano's spot-on 1930's "aw shucks, mister!" cadence makes them a fun duo, but Schutz's turn on a dime hysteria-to-composure, spunk-to-sass allows for EPIC PROPORTIONS' standout performance.

While it had its moments, I could have done with an edited down pre-show mocumentary. And with a small handful of movie set inspired scene transitions, Popp has allowed a few too many unsatisfying blackouts, eliminating the show's opportunity for a run-a-muck faux farce feel. But all is forgiven when the likes of Extras #1-4 (Matt Allis, Tommy Culhane, Liz Hoffman, and Jason Rost) clown around as an array of movie extras and stagehands. Coen and Crane give them the weakest material, but they do well at making their untalented counterparts appear real and enjoyably bearable. Berau Forbes' energetic fight choreography is convincingly realistic -if not overplayed during the final chase- in Imbalanced's small space.

In all, EPIC PROPORTIONS is a light-hearted 90 minutes. Maybe there's a reason this particular play remains "lesser known and undiscovered," but thanks to the show's three leads, they're able to turn underwritten chuckles into "did she really just say that?" guffaws.

EPIC PROPORTIONS runs now through Sunday, March 28, 2010 at Chemically Imbalanced Theatre, 1420 W. Irving Park Rd. in Chicago. For tickets and information, please visit http://project891theatreco.com.