I grew up going to a lot of community theater. My mom loves theater, and she made sure we went to whatever community production we could find in our small suburb. Very occasionally we even went into the city for a real show at the Chicago Auditorium. All the shows we saw were fun, but the few professional shows we saw were really quite extraordinary.
I am embarrassed to note that it had been years since I’ve seen anything outside of children’s theater until this week. A friend recommended a show at the Guthrie, and we jumped at the opportunity to do something new.
“Yellow Fever“ turned out to be a great show for non-theater people like us. It took on serious topics without taking itself too seriously.
It is a comic mystery set in 1970′s Vancouver that explores the racism of the era and the lasting effects of Japanese interment camps during World War II.
Here are a few reviews of note:
- Play off the Page recommends it “for the laughs, the mystery, the colorful characters, and the parts that make you think.”
- The CityPages review was mixed, but it notes that it is a mix of humor and more important issues.
- How Was the Show recommended the show saying “The trick with this play is to capture the era capturing another era, playing to an audience of another era – without flat-out stereotypes marking the path. This production does this deftly; we get the laughs – and we get the point.”
The show runs through March 24th, and I recommend it.
I have to admit that part of my enjoyment came from revisiting a part of my childhood that always felt magical. And knowing how excited my mom would be when I told her all about it. 🙂
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