Amber Mak can most often be found directing big musicals at the Paramount in Aurora. But after Mak directed and choreographed Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Chicago Shakes last summer, family audiences are lucky to have her back at Navy Pier helming Corduroy, the free-spirited tale of a department-store bear and the little girl who desperately wants to take him home.
In a silly, soaring, fast-paced hour perfect for the kindergarten set, Corduroy alternates between the fully realized fantasy world of a store where the toys, mannequins and even appliances spring to life in the wee small hours, and the all-too-real world of the apartment where Lisa (a spunky Demetra Dee) tests the patience of her mom (the highly relatable Celeste M. Cooper) past the breaking point with her constant whining, wheedling and pleading for a return trip to the toy department so she can buy the stuffed bear with a button missing from a strap of his green corduroy overalls.
As the store closes for the evening and the night guard (Danielle Davis, playing the comic foil with full gonzo commitment) comes on shift, Corduroy transforms into a living bear with two missions: to reunite with his new friend, and to find his missing button. Abetted by two wonderfully kinetic clowns (Kat Harvey and Ryan Huemmer), Corduroy visits several floors of the store, where he encounters everything from rampaging vacuum cleaners to an amazing array of party supplies (families seated down front are in for a silly string assault). These scenes will remind you to visit the State Street Macy’s before the inevitable fate befalls it.
Every time Corduroy finds the button, it somehow eludes his furry grasp. Many acrobatic pratfalls ensure, including one from a platform mounted outside the railing of the theater’s balcony. As the big-hearted bear, Jean Claudio brings seemingly effortless acrobatic grace to Corduroy’s many thrilling tumbles and spills while also imbuing him with a poignant longing to make himself whole and to reconnect with the human girl who will truly complete him.
For those of us with young kids, the apartment scenes between Lisa and her mom are a reminder that we are not alone in facing unceasing demands for the latest toy or game. And they show a truthful parent-child relationship in which mom becomes understandably exasperated as she delivers consequences such as sending Lisa to bed early, only to find the inner reserve that enables her to guide her daughter to better behavior with a mix of straight talk and love.
Of course, Lisa ends up with the bear, which provides a suitably happy ending. But if the story had been about Lisa and her dad, Corduroy might well have remained on the store shelf until he was tossed out as defective, I noted to my 5-year-old after Sunday’s opening performance. He agreed, then favored his mom with a million-dollar smile while squeezing her hand. Smart kid.
Corduroy runs through July 14 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
For a full roundup of reviews of this show, visit Theatre in Chicago.
Photo by Liz Lauren
