We peek into a tastefully decorated home. Pictures and album covers line the wall and remnants of a dinner party are scattered through the living and dining rooms. This feels like a home that is filled with memories and warmth. As the lights come down over the audience, our leading lady Helene appears and begins her tale as the LADY IN DENMARK.
Goodman’s Journey Into the Past
Helene enters her home through the front door, presumably after saying goodbye to her dinner guests. She surveys the scene and begins telling us moments from this past evening. Her family has just left after celebrating a birthday dinner for her late husband, having passed three weeks prior.
These most recent memories remind Helene of further past memories - her childhood in Denmark, the second World War, past trauma, her family, her friends, and of course her falling in love. She tells these stories, both happy and sad, and we see how it has brought her here to this current moment in her life.
The Sound and the Silence
As we journey down into her memories with Helene, we feel as though we’re listening to the soundtrack of her life. Her early teenage years in Denmark were shaped by jazz. She remembers sneaking out into the clubs with their smokiness, the drinks, the people, and how the music moved her.
But no other musician had a greater impression on her than Billie Holiday. As Helene tells her stories, the record player on the shelf comes to life with Billie’s records. As the songs play, they remind Helene of her past life - like the first moment she knew she would marry her husband, all that was playing in her head was “Them There Eyes.”
While her memories are punctuated by music to keep her company, they are a temporary distraction from the silence that fills her present. It’s in these moments, after she’s brought out of her reverie, all the loneliness of the present is brought back. These moments are the definition of a deafening silence and not a sound can be heard through the whole theatre.
Beautiful Story Teller
Linda Gehringer has a gift for storytelling. The way she reminisces about the night she met Billie Holiday (aided by projections by Lee Fiskness) paints a picture for us that makes us see Billie performing before us and her there in the family’s home afterwards.
Her recounting her friends and family make us feel the connections she had with them. And when she chastises anyone not appreciating the jazz scene here in Chicago, it makes this writer want to run out to the nearest club to find the same music appreciation she has. She finds deeper meaning in all of her these moments and reflects on all she’s learned.
LADY IN DENMARK is a reflective trip down into this woman’s life history. It is rich with both happy and life affirming moments, as well as grounding moments of pain and heartbreak. This show would be a good fit for jazz lovers and those who are a fan of one-person, memory shows. It might not be the best fit for those looking for a more action driven play.
RECOMMENDED
Note: This is now added to the Picture this Post round up of BEST PLAYS IN CHICAGO, where it will remain until the end of the run. Click here to read — Top Picks for Theater in Chicago NOW – Chicago Plays PICTURE THIS POST Loves.
CAST:
Linda Gehringer
CREATIVE:
Chay Yew
Andrew Boyce
Christine Pascual
Lee Fiskness
Mikhail Fiksel
Donald E. Claxon
When:
Now through November 18, 2018
Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30p
Fridays at 8:00p
Saturdays at 2:00p and 8:00p
Sundays at 2:00p and select Sundays at 7:30p
Where:
Goodman Theatre
170 N Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60601
Tickets:
$15-$45
Tickets can be purchased through the Goodman Theatre website or by calling the box office at 312.443.3800
Photos Liz Lauren
Note: Picture This Post reviews are excerpted by Theatre in Chicago
About the Author
Alexis is a theater reviewer, travel bug, media specialist, and burger & beer enthusiast. During the day she works in the advertising business as a senior communications designer. When night falls, or when she can escape to New York, she’s hitting the theaters to see as many shows as she can. And whenever she’s not at her desk or in the audience, she’s out seeking the best burger and beer offerings in Chicago.
Editor's Note: Click here to read more Picture this Post articles by Alexis Bugajski
