Failure: A Love Story
Nelly was the first of the Fail girls to die, followed soon after by her sisters, Jenny June and Gerty Fail — in that order. Causes of death were a blunt object, disappearance, and consumption— also in that order. Oil Lamp Theater narration of Failure: A Love Story is the fabled story of the Fail sister's life and tragic death and the one man named Mortimer, Mortimer, that loved each Fail sister.
After coming to Chicago, Henry felt the family needed to settle near a location that needed a Clockwork Shop. So the family established a successful clock business near the Chicago dockyards naming their business, The Fail Clock Works, established in 1900.
“Of course, plenty of other Fails had died long before Nelly did. Why, her own parents, Henry and Marietta Fail, drowned in the Chicago River. ”
However, a casualty hit the sister's parents. Narrators tell the story of them passing the Old Chicago Board of Trade in their brand new Stutz Bearcat, and Henry and Marietta Fail, along with nearly 850 people from the ill-fated Eastland ship, died. Catastrophes continued as each sister abruptly died in that order from a blunt object, disappearance, and consumption.
In this fable, narrated format, featuring animals (birds, ghosts, a bull python) and clocks that behave and speak as humans to highlight idiocies and imperfections, we learn about Nellie's sweet innocence Gertie's kindness, and Jenny June's obsessive pursuit to do the impossible.
Kendal Romero was outstanding, playing the role of all three sisters (Nelly, Gerty, and Jenny June). Trevor Earley performed the role of Mortimer, Mortimer to perfection and made you genuinely believe the love and grief he felt for all three sisters. And Van Ferro is comical as the short-wit John N.
Although I'm not a fan of elongated narrations in a play, the Chorus Members of Philip J. Macaluso (who was hysterical), Jasmine Robertson, and Jordan Zelvin made this historical narration of the Fail sisters amusing and compelling. Unfortunately, the small intimate stage and seemingly low budget for this production, where Jenny June has to swim on a rolling chair, or the Fail parent's brand new Stutz Bearcat being a rolling table, doesn't allow for many props, so bring your imagination. However, the cast's creative and witty charisma makes it an entertaining night.
Philip Dawkins's Failure: A Love Story, the life of the Fail sisters, formerly the Failbottoms — who immigrated to the United States, is filled with warmth, love, and, unfortunately, tragedy.
Failure: A Love Story is a tragically heartwarming and humorous fable, and the cast at Oil Lamp Theater's solid performance of this play is a delightful night of theater.
Let's Play Theatrical Review Recommends Failure: A Love Story at Oil Lamp Theater.
Oil Lamp Theater
Failure: A Love Story
Written by Philip Dawkins
Directed by Xavier Custodio
Jul 21 – Sep 04, 2022
