Lookingglass Theatre S Thaddeus And Slocum Is More Vaudeville Less Adventure

Lookingglass Theatre’s Thaddeus and Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure certainly gets the vaudeville aspects right. When Lawrence E. Distasi—in a handlebar mustache and some turn-of-the-century spandex—did a handstand on the railing of the balcony, the audience let out a gasp, then cheered and applauded madly. Our collective amazement made it feel like we were all back in 1908, easily dazzled and filled with hope that the defending champion Chicago Cubs would win the World Series.

All the same, the evening made me excited about the old days of theater, and Lookingglass’s cabaret setup transformed the space into something out of the past. It’s immensely satisfying to see a glamorous chanteuse go onstage in a gorgeous gown simply to deliver a song free of gimmicks. And there’s an important story at the heart of Thaddeus and Slocum—it just can’t stick the landing.  v

Through 8/14: Wed 7:30 PM, Thu 2 and 7:30 PM (except 7/14, 7/28, and 8/11, 7:30 PM only), Fri 7:30 PM, Sat-Sun 2 and 7:30 PM (except Sun 7/10, 7/24, and 8/7, 2 PM only) Lookingglass Theatre 821 N. Michiganlookingglasstheatre.org $30-$75