Charles Dickens’ expose of the French Revolution produced by the Shattered Globe Theatre at the Wit is cleverly performed by a cast of eight and seems a little too close to home in today’s political climate.
This story of love, politics, mob action and self-sacrifice demonstrates how collective passion for social change can ensnare even the innocent in a net of violence that is intended to punish those guilty of creating financial crises, promoting social inequality and suppressing the ideals of enlightened thinking.
A well-conceived adaptation of “A Tale of Two Cities” adapted by Brendan Pelsue and directed by Mikael Burke, tells a big story on a small stage with a minimal cast that encourages the audience to express their emotions as various incidents occur.
This vocalization from “the mob” adds energy to the production providing a visceral feeling of being part of the events and perhaps even some responsibility for decisions that are made and actions that take place.
A cautionary tale that depicts injustice masquerading as justice, this shows how those in power can manipulate the system to exact revenge and to accomplish their political objectives, illustrating how the manipulated emotions of the mob can incite violence and add credibility to the injustices being perpetrated.
Dickens weaves a fictional chronical that begins with a love triangle involving Lucie Minnet and two men who bear an uncanny resemblance to one another, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton.
Ultimately the three are engulfed in “the terror” that results in guillotine executions of thousands of aristocrats and their perceived associates and sympathizers including the king and queen.
Lucie’s father, Dr. Minnet, has been falsely imprisoned in the notorious Bastille because he was witness to a horrible crime involving two aristocrats who used their power to silence him.
Dr. Minnet becomes a hero of the “Storming of the Bastille,” an event that sparked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Darnay, a member of the French aristocracy, has denounced his favored position as a Marquis in sympathy with the revolutionaries who seeks to put more power into the hands of “the people.”
The status of Dr. Minnet as a revolutionary hero and Darnay’s sympathetic stance cannot totally insulate them and their family from the madness of the mob personified by the character of Madame Defarge. As an overzealous and vengeful revolutionary, she even manages to whip this rather passive audience at The Wit into a frenzy.
The talented ensemble moves seamlessly from role to role as each of the actors portray multiple characters. The cast is comprised of Daria Harper (Actor 1), Diego Vazquez Gomez (Actor 2), Demetra Dee (Actor 3), Glenn Obrero (Actor 4), Penelope Walker (Actor 5), Jazzma Pryor (Actor 6), Jeff Rodriguez (Actor 7), and William A. S. Rose II (Actor 8).
This is a story of a reality that seems impossible. The set design by Eleanor Kahn & Milo Bue features an array of smoky semi-gilded mirrors that dominates the backdrop from floor to ceiling. It provides an otherworldly distorted reflection of the action as well as an eerily distorted view of the audience who are part of the ensemble.
The lighting by Eric Watkins is subdued augmented by clusters of candles around the perimeter of the stage that contribute to the indistinct and unsettling nature of events taking place.
The candlelight along with the costumes by Kotryna Hilko indicate that this is a period piece that historically represents an actual place in time.
The overall cadence of the dialogue has a contemporary vibe with moments of humor and levity that lighten the atmosphere a bit. Its gallows humor reminds us of just how absurd things can get when they have gotten completely out of control.
The actors make no attempt to affect either a British or French accent which would only unduly complicate the message.
This modern approach no doubt makes the production more accessible to younger audience members who may find a more traditional telling of the story somewhat oppressive and remote.
My first impression was that Pelsue’s approach harks back to what we might have called a “Cliff’s Notes” version of Dickens’ original story. That is to say, an abbreviated retelling designed primarily to touch on the main themes in order to pass a literature test.
But thinking back to the 1958 film, it took about the same amount of time to tell as this version. The advantage of a movie is you can get more information in the time provided because you can tell with moving images details that you cannot include on stage.
Dickens’ writing traditionally is fraught with minute details that draw you into the time and place. In a book, he can take as much time as he wants to set the scene and explain the backstory. I would compare this version to that of an operatic libretto. The story is complete but stripped to the essentials. In this case a narrator or one of the characters often fills in some of the details in order to keep the plot line moving.
The overall effect of this version of a “Tale of Two Cities” was quite satisfying and thought provoking. I would highly recommend this to Dickens fans; anyone unfamiliar with the story; anyone unfamiliar with the history of the French Revolution and anyone interested in how a political movement run amok can affect the lives of every person involved resulting in unfathomable horrors perpetrated in the name of justice.
Details: “A Tale of Two Cities” by Shattered Glode Theatre is at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago, IL through May 31, 2025. Running time: About 2 hours plus a 15-minute intermission. For tickets and information visit sgtheatre.org, call the Theater Wit box office, (773) 975-8150, or purchase in person at Theater Wit.