Book Review: An Alchemy of Flesh and Other Plays
An Alchemy of Flesh and Other Plays. David Hauptschein, Self-Published, 1 May 2022, Paperback, 383 pages.
Reviewed by Catherine Marcroft.
I’m a longtime admirer of Chicago theatre, but I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing any of the plays in this collection produced. I’m on the lookout now and won’t let them get by me again. I’d love to see each and every one of these plays on stage. David Hauptschein delivers five action-packed plays, and they all seem entirely homegrown Chicago—gritty, unafraid, dangerous, a little goofy and a little sad. Each is a thoroughly original page-turner that goes above and beyond my requirements for an evening in the theatre — tell me a story, give me people to care about, something to think about and a plot to piece together! Hauptschein’s gifts are many. He is able to draw characters of depth and drop us right in the middle of their lives in progress, fully on their way somewhere or other, no matter how well thought out, and give full credit to the life each has had up to the point where we meet them. We have every incentive to gather the clues and catch up. I do believe these plays will stand the test of time. Well done.
The plays included in this book are:
An Alchemy of Flesh
The Persecution of Arnold Petch
The Gurney
The Ballad of Johnny 5 Star (co-written with David Vlcek)
Breakdown and Out
Each of these stories is unapologetically theatrical, absolutely intended for the stage. There is room for everyone involved to make their mark, exciting decisions to be made by every theatre artist involved in every production element, and very juicy characters that actors can grow into with every performance.
An Alchemy of Flesh gives us two actors playing four parts in a crime drama puzzle that is believable, surprising and engaging — with understanding just out of reach. There’s a whole lot going on right out the gate, two couples that can’t quite trust each other. And has there really been a suicide? Or two? No bodies here. It goes on from there. (Four characters, two men, two women)
The Persecution of Arnold Petch is a wonderful play. Much empathy for poor Arnold! There but for the grace… Catastrophic coincidences push things too far. Is Arnold a victim of conspiracy theories or the only one who really knows what’s going on? (Six characters, four men, two women)
In The Gurney, I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but it’s an action-packed, highly entertaining fever dream of a play. There is something fascinating going on here, and we just need to piece it together. In The Gurney, as is the case with all of the plays in this book, Hauptschein’s use of language is surprising and character revealing but, here especially, in the character of Lulu, we are given someone perhaps from an Eastern bloc country, whose use of English is brilliant, engaging and hilarious. (Four characters, two men, two women)
The Ballad of Johnny 5 Star has wonderfully developed characters, all dreaming big dreams, with agendas all their own and schemes that make sense at the time. The play ends with a terrific turn of justice that is exactly right. (Five characters, three men, two women)
Breakdown and Out is a perfect title for this piece — people breaking down and looking to break out. There’s magic, maybe mind control and, again, wonderfully conflicting agendas. (Five characters, three men, two women)
I’m grateful for the read. These plays are delightful on the page, and I know they would be even more delightful on their feet.