Unspeakable: a dramatic fantasia (Chicago) Tickets

Unspeakable

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

I was very disappointed and so was my guest. Imagine a play about Richard Pryor's life and you only forced a laugh a couple of times. There was way too much sexual content and over the top and not in a good way. The play was a hot mess! Did the owners of the theater see this before it was presented to audiences. We found it difficult to sit through, but since the first half was so bad, we thought surely it would be cleaned up for the second half.....NOT. Money wasted for sure.

Unspeakable reflects the language

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

Th play was diaapointing, it was not funny, which I expected.It did depict the life of Richard Pryor, which was sad and tragic. Th echaracter of the Rat, alter ego, consciousness was a bit confusing. I just did not come out thinking that it was a great play. The lead actor sounded like Richard

Unspeakable play

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

Too bad this play was not sanctioned by Richard Pryor's family. They would have benefited with better material, and the audience would have laughed more. The ensemble method used was better than a one-man play. But my wife and I were confused with the role of one of the characters, who seemed to do nothing but crawl over the stage.

I expected more singing

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

I was under the impression this was a musical, I was expecting more singing. The actors were great but I would get lost in the conversations.

A Must See!!!!

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

James Murray Jackson, Jr. does a brilliant reenactment of Richard Pryor!!!! If your a Richard Pryor fan, I highly recommend you step into this moment of fantasia....

Funny...Tragic...Richard

Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place - Chicago

This was an amazing recount of Pryors life. The actors were superb. It felt like Pryor was telling the story himself. This show is not for the faint of heart. It's a raw realistic interpretation of the mind of Richard Pryor. Enjoy!

Must See!

Water Tower Place - Chicago, IL

Thought provoking and well writing story of the life of Richard Pryor. I took away that it's a story of life. And Richard's life wasn't easy. And sometimes that uneasiness can make people uncomfortable. The facts remains that real life is UNCOMFORTABLE. This play really conveyed the joys and the sorrows. Would definitely recommend.

Complete Train Wreck!

Chicago Broadway Playhouse - Chicago

Being a huge Richard Pryor fan, I was tempted to see this play even with the overwhelmingly bad reviews. To sum it up, I have seen good and bad plays but never wanted a refund until this play. I was prepared for vulgar language and crudeness that went along with Richard but this play was a complete disaster! First the production, it was nearly impossible to follow, the transitions were horrible, the play jumps all over the place leaving the audience lost. The background music that was repeated throughout the show was annoying, the lighting was off, often missing the actors. Now the play, I went into this play understanding it was not about Richard's best comedy and was going to be more geared of his struggles and demons in his life but the show completely falls short of doing so. The show competed each scene with how many times you can say the "N" word, how much freebase you can snort and how many woman you can abuse. The show is ENTIRELY about abuse and demons and one of the demon characters that was played throughout the show was a dead rat! But the show never shed any light that through all that abuse it made him a brilliant comedian and how smart he really was. There was maybe 40 people in the audience or so and a good portion of them left at intermission.

Raw

Broadway Playhouse - Chicago

Mr. James Murray Jackson, Jr. embodied Richard Pryor in looks, voice, and behavior. The audience needs to remember the setting of this play is "Richard Pryor" reflecting back on his life; we are in his mind. This reflection is often gritty, raw, and unfiltered, which may not sit well with an audience who expect a recapitulation of "Richard Pryor's" life woven with comedic humor. Inside of the mind of "Richard Pryor", we see his demons, his tragic losses, his fears, and his feelings. This is a very raw look at a man battling multiple of issues. The play reaches the dark areas of his life and provides a honest portrayal of his personal pain. The play goes beyond the humor of "Richard Pryor" and we see the "humanness" of "Richard Pryor." The young woman playing Mama did a phenomenal job!

An Amazing Ride

Water Tower Theater - Chicago - Chicago

This isn't a 2 hour stand-up reenactment of Live on Sunset Boulevard. This play delves into the mind of Richard Pryor as he battled the many demons that, in some respect, made him the comedic genius he was. Jackson, the lead actor, does an amazing job at transitioning between an adolescent Richard and an adult Richard. The first act is a whirlwind and then it settles down in the second act and makes you really understand the internal struggles that Richard faced. Is it vulgar? Yes. Do they use the N word a lot? Yes. But, that was Richard. I knew I was going to see a play about Richard Pryor and not Mary Poppins. It's a very thoughtful and mind bending production that gives you a glimpse into Richard's mind. All things that glitter ain't gold. And Richard was no exception. Stay for the full ride and you will be glad you did.