What You'll Get
Click above to buy this Groupon for the show on unday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. Click on the links below for other dates and times:
- Buy here for Saturday, April 17, at 3 p.m.
- Buy here for Sunday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Tuesday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Thursday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Saturday, April 24, at 3 p.m.
- Buy here for Sunday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Tuesday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Wednesday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Thursday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m.
- Buy here for Saturday, May 1, at 3 p.m.
Back when a circus tent still hovered above Mount Olympus, Zeus spent afternoons there teaching his flying manticore to catch lightning bolts. Behold divinely inspired aerial feats with today's deal: for $33, you get a premiere-level ticket to see Lookingglass Theatre Company's Hephaestus (up to a $58 value) at the Goodman Theatre on any of the dates listed above. Premiere-level seating puts you on the mezzanine or the ground floor of the Goodman, close enough to feel the breeze or catch kisses blown by an airborne acrobat.
Lookingglass bills Hephaestus as "a Greek mythology circus tale." Audacious tightrope walking, hoop spinning, and full-body wheel trundling thrill audiences and build tension over the course of the playful performance. These feats of dexterity and daring, performed by some of the world's best circus performers (veterans of Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Bros., and the Wallenda family, to name a few) are not illusions. The nimble acrobats fling their bodies through the heavens, balancing on high wires over hard floors and spinning among aerial silks like children trapped in bands of taffy.
The story of Hephaestus (played by show creator Tony Hernandez) unfurls along with the circus action. Hephaestus was the Greek god of the forge, cast from Mount Olympus by his mother Hera and crippled by the fall. Root for the divine underdog as he slams away at his forge, a sound that thrums at the heart of the exhilarating music and intensifies the emotional tenor of the plot. Hephaestus encounters other gods, including Aphrodite (Katia Dmitrieva), who seduces with mystical Hula-hoops, and angry Ares (Almas Meirmanov), who makes war as fervently as a renegade food processor makes milkshakes. The vibrant story is framed by the narration of a little girl (Tatiana Ranallo) who escapes into myth to free herself from fighting parents.
Lookingglass aims to redefine theatrical experience by creating absorptive theater that arrests the mind and snares the senses. Previous Lookingglass productions, such as Lookingglass Alice, were known for their interactive formats and tactile textures, which spellbound baby penguins more than melting icebergs. Hephaestus continues the Lookingglass tradition by melding theater, music, and circus arts in a thrilling show suited to theater lovers, the perennially indifferent, and the a-theatrical alike.
Premiere-level seating is for both the main floor and the mezzanine; seats are first come, first served.
Reviews
The Lookingglass production of Hephaestus received positive reviews from Newcity, Variety, Time Out Chicago, and the Tribune.
- Brian Bembridge’s lights—which take us from disco to ocean floor and back again—might be his best, and are only rivaled by Josh Horvath’s sound design, which floods the room like a tidal wave. – Christopher Piatt, Time Out Chicago
- What sets this show apart is the thrill derived from the closeness of the physical performances. The rolling German wheel, for example, heads for the front rows with suspenseful momentum, while the ending -- and it's quite an ending -- involves an impressive, genuinely nail-biting high-wire act. – Steven Oxman, Variety
- Chicago now has a live, 75-minute, all-human circus spectacular featuring stellar international artists and combining dazzling gymnastics, thrilling feats of daring, exciting contemporary visuals and (best of all) powerful, classically themed storytelling right at the heart of the unique Lookingglass — and the Chicago — tradition. – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires May 2, 2010. Amount paid never expires. Tickets not for resale. To sit together, must buy multiple quantity in one purchase. Theater will sit patrons together to the best of its ability. Must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to showtime. Seating priority determined by order of purchase. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.