I'm in Chicago for the weekend and caught the last week of "Life After," Britta Johnson's funny, moving, swirling exploration of one family's grief in the aftermath of a death. I'd recommend it to anyone, though it's closing tomorrow here in Chicago and I don't know if future productions are planned.
Mild spoilers below, but all things you learn in the first 10 minutes of the show.
Aspects of the story (a teenage daughter grieving her father's sudden death) bear a resemblance to Fun Home, and a few of the musical moments of Life After reminded me of "Raincoat of Love," my favorite song from Fun Home. While the ending of "Life After" didn't quite come together for me, I was blown away by Bryonha Marie Parham's riveting song "Wallpaper" towards the end of the show. Parham is an astonishing performer and I hope to see more of her in the future. |
