Blind Summit’s THE TABLE Would Make Charlton Heston Jealous

Now appearing Upstairs at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater is Moses like you have never seen him before, in all his biblical glory.  Oh no my friend; this is not Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea but rather a two foot, part cardboard, part cloth, Japanese Bunraku puppet myopically operated by the brilliantly  unique Blind Summit artists, who are here for a brief two week engagement. 

The Table is a fast moving, hilarious and at times poignant seventy minute show where the art of puppetry is on full display.

In the beginning (as it is “written”) Moses teaches our audience the essential steps of making a puppet come to life.  In the course of embarking on this educational puppetorial coursework, our fabric friend also performs the last hours in the life of none other than the author of the Torah himself.   To tell this story the epic Cecil B. Demille sound stages give way to a good old folding banquet table which also tranforms into a garden; a cardio machine; a record player and even an iPod.

Mark Down (also the voice of Moses), Sean Garratt and Irena Stratieva (new to the troupe) all work together seamlessly using every type of theatrical device available to them including improv, movement, verse and imagination.

It is a remarkable evening of performance art that further proves why the cultural exchange Chicago Shakespeare Theater gives us every year is so vital to our city.

The Table runs until October 27, 2013 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.  Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the box office, by calling 312-595-5600 or online a twww.chicagoshakes.com.  For calendar information visit TheatreInChicago.com