True West

At Steppenwolf Theatre, 2019

I am so late on this review, but that's because I went back & saw it twice. Thats how phenomenal it was. Anyway, True West. An intense, powerhouse of a play. I remember spending my full freshman year at ISU reading the play & studying scenes from it in every acting class. I remembered it was a hugely compelling piece of theatre, so when I heard Steppenwolf was doing it, I jumped at the opportunity to see it. In no way was I disappointed. The acting was visceral & physical & emotional, & intimidating. The two brothers improvised a lot of small details in their interactions, so when I saw it the second time I saw new or changed interactions & attitudes (which I loved). The brothers also amped up their acting in Act Two, & truly gave everything they had on stage. I have never seen such fire & intensity in such an intimate show before. The audience was collectively gasping & sighing along with the actors, & it felt as if we were watching gladiators sparring. Tech wise, it was perfect. The set design was beautiful, the lighting really amped up the drama & the sound/music added incredible intensity to the show. Kudos to the tech team for probably 100+ props (thank god for it being real items to use too). Stage combat was also visually stunning & was done perfectly in such an intimate space. Steppenwolf hosted a 20 minute talkback after the performances, which I loved. It was really insightful to hear & discuss what other audience members thought of it. I don't know if Steppenwolf does this after every play, but if they do, I absolutely recommend staying for this. All in all, I had an amazing experience, & I am so glad I was able to see the show. Steppenwolf does not disappoint.