Women and War

World War II was a time in our history that we must remember – remember and relive through the literature and the arts, for example – so as to never lose sight of the horrific atrocities of which we as human beings are capable. The purpose of such a reminder is to ensure that we do not necessitate such behavior again. Ever. For, as the Spanish philosopher and writer George Santayana originally wrote, “”Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

All Through the Night is a play written by Shirley Lauro that is currently running at ArtsWest. (Opening night was originally to be January 18th, but got pushed back a couple of nights due to our snowy skies … and streets. Thus, your Hedonista attended last Friday as media.) It’s an all-woman play (save for Director and Set Designer Christopher Zinovitch, who is ArtsWest’s Artistic Director, and Stage Manager Ryan Floresca, who’s also an actor, having performed in such past ArtsWest productions as Amy’s View, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Measure for Pleasure, and Evil Dead, The Musical).

This play – which is a Jefferson-nominated Best New Chicago play of 2006 that originally opened on October 2, 2009 in New York City’s Marjorie S. Dean Little Theatre – is dark play with depths that reaches both the bowels as well as the ovaries of humanity. It not only serves to remind us of the horrors of WW II, but the particular suffering endured by German gentile women.

Based on actual interviews by women who suffered through – and survived – fascism under Adolph Hitler, All Through the Night offers a gut-wrenching account of getting by on the inside, so to speak. Schisms among citizens, neighbors, and family abound in this production – and once again reveal that not all of Germany was pro-Hitler during this time. However, such dissension came a at a price in the form of sacrifices and compromises. Sacrifices and compromises that were chosen to be made in the name of self-survival and the survival of one’s loved ones, often with a lifetime of guilt, remorse, and regret as a result.

A cast of five women, listed here in order of appearance, make up the entire play’s cast of characters: Cindy Bradder (Ludmilla), Kate Witt (Angelika, also had her directorial début in ArtsWest’s Love Song), Colleen Carey (Frau Lehrerin/Frau Direktorn/Frau Fuhrerin/Frau Oberaufseherin), Jillian Vashro (Gretchen) and Erin Stewart (Friederike). All are strong performers, who take on challenging roles in German accents – accents which they seem to slip out of when addressing the audience directly, but then slip back into when done with such sidebars. This direct audience interaction is designed to destroy the typical illusory quality of the stage and thus force the audience to think about what they are seeing with a critically analytical mind rather than merely losing themselves in the entertainment. This style or concept of the performing arts is known as the “distancing effect” (often mistranslated as the “alienation effect” or Verfremdungseffekt in German). Originally coined by 20th century poet, playwright, and theatre director Bertolt Brecht, this method forces its audience to process a given performance more like an enlightened student than a mere playgoer.

A wise choice for this play, as lessons abound throughout.

We can afford to be such balanced, well-meaning hedonists today because of the sacrifices made by individuals throughout history. I would like to hope that we foster a future based on making people happy, self-fulfilled, and part of a community. In other words, all (balanced) hedonists.

All Through the Night is recommended for ages 13 years and older. It runs at ArtsWest from January 20th through February 12th, 2012 at ArtsWest, with Wednesday through Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. performances on Sundays. Tickets range in price from $10 (under 25 years of age) to $34.50, both group and senior discounts are also available.

NOTE: Tonight, January 23rd, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. there will be an ON STAGE “talkback” session with the cast and director. This event – which takes place the first Monday following opening night, is free and open to the general public. A Gala Event as a part of their Friday Night Event Series is also planned the evening of Friday, February 3rd at 6:00 p.m. for a special ticket price; this event includes a catered reception with delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and pre-show entertainment in addition to the regular performance of All Through the Night. (Check out their Friday Night Event Series webpage for more details.)

Note: In order to comply with FTC Act 16 C.F.R. 255, Heed the Hedonist would like to disclose that it does receive media “comps” and/or media discounts – but not in exchange for favorable coverage, or for withholding unfavorable overage, of the given venue/meal/performance/product/service.