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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

REVIEW: The Hypocrites' Trifecta of Gilbert & Sullivan Shows Are a Riotous Round of Hilarity Through 2/7/15 #Review #‎ChiILPicksList

Gilbert & Sullivan Rep

It was our great pleasure to catch all 3 of The Hypocrites' Gilbert and Sullivan musicals this past month and we highly recommend you hightail it over to The Den Theatre ASAP and see them. We loved The Mikado last year and couldn't wait to see it again and add H.M.S. Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance to the mix. These shows are great for theatre freaks, kids and adults of all ages, and the reluctant theatre goer as well. They have a small bar right in the performance space and a free range audience that's welcome to move about at will and sit, stand or lounge around the whole performance space or the traditional chairs. Click here and scroll down for loads of our past Hypocrites coverage.





The whole vibe begins more like a party than a play, with people with drinks in hand milling about and chatting up strangers, kids playing on the multilevel set pieces, and musicians everywhere. At all 3 shows we saw, there in the fray was director, Sean Graney, grinning ear to ear. And he had every right to beam like the Cheshire Cat. The Hypocrites are on to something magical and spectacular! 



I think Sean has the right idea. I kinda want to join him and spend the whole winter in The Hypocrites world of playful fun and light!









Here at ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama we can't think of a better way to spend the darkest, coldest days of the year than under the twinkling circus tent lights with The Hypocrites. Their trifecta of Gilbert & Sullivan musicals is a joyful celebration of light, color, music and ridiculous rhyme. We've never seen any troupe make better use of the promenade style. They don't just break down the 4th wall, they run rings around it! 




The Mikado is still our pick of the litter, but we dug all 3 and suggest you get a package deal and do it up right. I mean, come on, where else can you find a talented tribe of rag tag minstrels to serenade you in a pillow pile at the foot of a slide where you can snuggle a passel of stuffed animal cats, or on bunk beds, or in a rubber duckie filled kiddy pool sans water for cripes sake! I dare you not to grin. Perfect for a date night or fam friendly fun. 



We're also absofreakinlutely loving The Den Theatre's new performance space with no steep stairs, a bountiful bar and a spacious, open performance area! Joy. 







The Hypocrites' unique take on new and traditional works is something to see! Highly recommended. 


Do you want to come back to the show again? Do you want to see the other two in rep? Do you want to encourage others to do so and get a $6 discount per ticket? We created the code "comeback" for you to enter at checkout in order to do just that. 



Here's the Official Scoop:

Gilbert and Sullivan Rep 2014-15
November 26, 2014 – February 7, 2015
Music Direction by Andra Velis Simon Gilbert & Sullivan Rep
Directed by Sean Graney and Thrisa Hodits

featuring the world premiere adaptation of
H.M.S. Pinafore
Adaption by Sean Graney, Matt Kahler & Andra Velis Simon

along with the highly anticipated return of BOTH
Pirates of Penzance 
Adaption by Sean Graney & Kevin O'Donnell
and
Mikado
Adaption by Sean Graney



The Hypocrites’ 2014-15 Season will continue in December 2014 with another world premiere: a playful re-imaging of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera H.M.S. PINAFORE, adapted and directed by Sean Graney, with new arrangements by Matt Kahler and Andra Velis Simon. In what has become an annual celebration of the Gilbert and Sullivan canon, H.M.S. PINAFORE will run in repertory with remounts of the company’s wildly popular productions of THE MIKADO and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, also adapted and directed by Graney.

Reviews:
★★★★ (out of ★★★★)   
“The Hypocrites apply their winning formula of hip deconstruction and dark comedy to the cherished operetta”
Chicago Tribune

“Spirited, affectionate, and nearly irresistible”
Boston Globe

“Terrific…The Hypocrites’ musicianship has never sounded better.”

TimeOut Chicago





For the full schedule of the rep, click here





Missed All Our Tragic this time around?
Saw it but wanted to come back or tell your friends?
Well now you have a second chance
Buy your tickets for next summer now


Looking ahead to 2015:
Pirates of Penzance, Mikado and HMS Pinafore 
now-February 7th
(tickets on sale here)

Endgame by Samuel Beckett
Directed by Halena Kays
Feb-April 2015 (tickets on sale soon)

Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
Directed by Geoff Button
April-June 2015 (tickets on sale soon)

Remount of All Our Tragic
June-August 2015 
(tickets on sale here)

Announcement of their 19th season
coming April 2015

plus a lot of exciting surprises  
to be announced throughout the year




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