The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (2002)0

“Daring ideas and deft execution don’t necessarily go hand in hand. But the folks at WNEP have not only tackled a difficult task – a stage adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s enigmatic children’s book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick – they’ve done it well.

The original consists of little more than 15 moody black-and-white drawings with titles and captions, because Van Allsburg wanted his readers to use their own imaginations. The stage production Michael Ross and Dave Stinton have crafted preserves this maddening open-endedness while also telling a series of ripping yarns. In the mysterious framing story, a young woman not unlike an American version of Alice finds herself transported into Van Allsburg’s pictures. She must literally talk her way out of this wonderland by learning to tell compelling stories based on his art. Along the way, the young woman (played with finesse by Danielle Hoetmer) also discovers the power of stories to wound and heal.

First produced in 1999, the show proved such a success for WNEP that they’ve remounted it with some changes. Having missed the original, I can’t compare it to this one. But it’s hard to believe that the 1999 version could have equaled Jen Ellison’s staging, which has a wondrous evocative power.”

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – Chicago Reader

Chicago
Sun-Times RECOMMENDED
(“…a playful and magical show that illustrates one of the best aspects of small Off-Loop theaters: an unabashed determination to invent uniquely original work…a universe where “The Twilight Zone” meets the Brothers Grimm…the delightfully talented cast transforms each story into a wonderland of expressive detail…”)

NewCity
RECOMMENDED (“Refreshingly, Ellison and her cast leave plenty of room for your imagination to soar (just as it would if you opened the book)…full of wonder and menace…delicious…a mercurial ensemble perform with childlike vigor…” )

SKYLINE
(“…a cross between Edward Gorey and ‘The Far Side’… Ariel Brenner [as The Narrator] strikes just the right note of authoritarianism mixed with wry compassion…all of the ensemble perform well in their multiple roles. Particular standouts are Steve Lund, Tony Lewellen and Patrick Brennan, each of whom contributes an extra bit of verve…”

TheatreChicago.com
“…dynamic cast… smart and entertaining… an intriguing and playful show…immediately [draws] the audience into this magical story…”