When a couple crashes their car in the mountains, they seek shelter in an isolated cabin. Its inhabitants, though somewhat unusual, are eager to make their guests feel right at home. But as the blizzard outside rages on and one night turns into several, the couple becomes less and less sure of what's true—about their hosts, themselves, and why that sound in the walls keeps getting louder.
A first-rate cast and creative team have been assembled for the play which premiered at Chicago’s A Red Orchid Theatre in 2019. Director Joe Mantello’s production features contributions from scenic designer Scott Pask, costume designer Rudy Monce, lighting designer Natasha Katz and sound designer Tom Gibbons, all working at the top of their game. And the sterling ensemble includes Laurie Metcalf, Tatiana Maslany (who missed critics’ performances after being sidelined with Covid), Paul Sparks, and Sophia Anne Caruso. It’s hard to avoid the feeling, however, that the play, which depends highly on a tightly controlled, ominous atmosphere, might have been more impactful when presented in the Chicago theater’s much smaller space.
“Grey House,” at the Lyceum Theater, is certainly an in-your-face assault, more in the manner of John Carpenter movies than anything seen onstage since the age of melodrama. It is so expertly assembled from spare parts by the playwright Levi Holloway and the director Joe Mantello that you may not notice, between the jump scares and the shivery pauses, how little it has on its mind. Something about cycles of abuse? The legacy of misogyny? Sure, let’s go with that.
General Rush
Price: $35
Where: Lyceum Theatre box office
When: Rush tickets are available in person, day of performance when the box office opens (10am - Mon through Sat & 12pm on Sundays starting May 28).
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Determined at the discretion of the box office. Subject to daily availability.
Digital Lottery
Price: $43 (+ $2 facility fee + $5 service charge)
Where: greyhouselottery.com
When: Patrons may enter thel ottery from 12am to 3pm one day before the performance.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Subject to availability.
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