Eight and a half-year-old Too Much Light..., one of the staples of the Chicago comedy theater scene, continues to cheerfully off-balance returning audiences.
Placing comedy and philosophy back-to-back, the Neo-Futurists whip through 30 skits (or close to it) in an hour -- increasing speed as the minutes tick away. Their dizzying display of often self-referential, often socially conscious, often paradoxical and nearly always laughable plays tickles the imagination and occasionally energizes brain cells. Democracy theoretically rules as audience members yell the number of the next play, but often the results near anarchy. The audience is quickly revealed to have nearly as much influence over the events of the night as the players.
The nine Neo-Futurists interact almost seamlessly, working off each other and the audience so well that the audience is often left guessing what is scripted and what is improvised. The enthusiasm of the Neo-Futurists matches that of the young, raucous crowd which toe the line between heckling and constructive participation. Only the rules keep some semblance of order in chaos -- 30 pre-determined plays, the 60-minute stop clock, and the perceived line between the stage and the audience. The explanation of these rules at the beginning, though, has become gradually longer over the years -- apparent to only the occasional visitor. The speeches now push the point where a dangerous amount of audience energy is lost before the show even begins.
This is the weakest point of the show, however. Once the clock starts, the players work continually to rouse the audience to laughter, with a few downbeat philosophical plays to jar the mood and place the necessary breaks in the action -- sort of like the love interest in an action movie. So, leave most of the usual theater inhibitions at the door and enjoy an evening of comedy.
Before you set out to see this cornucopia of drama, there are a few logistical facts you should have under your belt: