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Hi diddle de dee, an actor's life for me.

Tuesday Mar 28, 2006.     By Ned Stevens

Theater Feed

It's certainly and exciting time to be a fan of David Mamet in Chicago; the Goodman's current festival of plays gives the audience a chance to see many of the playwright's works, including lesser-known pieces such as the current "A Life in the Theatre."

The play is a series of short scenes, both on and off stage, between two actors. The older one, Robert (David Darlow), is forever giving the younger one advice and expounding to him on the nature of art and theater. The younger one, John (Matt Schwader), is at first respectful and receptive to the advice but eventually becomes resentful as his own career begins to take off and Robert starts to slip. Mixed in are various moments in the daily life of an actor; changing costume after costume, trying to memorize lines, dealing with agents, and even chilling out half dressed in the green room while the microwave heats up dinner.

David Darlow is a perfect choice to play the older actor. There's no question that he has the experience and the chops to know whereof his character speaks. He also slyly nails the comedy in the actor's deteriorating situation and longwinded ruminations. Schwader also captures his younger and more youthfully arrogant character; it's clear the playwright has known many actors of both breeds.

In fact, the play is especially enjoyable for anyone who's actually performed in a play; the stage door chats, the catty exchanges about other actors behind their backs, the jealousy that can form when one castmate seems to be moving on to bigger opportunities, and the hilarity and horror of foulups on stage all seem achingly familiar and deeply amusing. Perhaps the best of these scenes involves a play in which the two actors must perform surgery; suffice to say that when things begin to go wrong, the anesthetized patient is much abused.

All of this is played on an ingenious set designed by Mark Wendland that gives us a very realistic backstage and also hints at the large number of seats in the house of the theater where they perform. Scenery and costumes all seem to shift smoothly and effortlessly between scenes as needed, keeping the evening pleasantly brisk. For folks looking forward to the entire Mamet festival, "A Life in the Theatre" is a great way to kick things off.

Playing at the Goodman Theatre; 170 N. Dearborn St.; (312) 443-3800; $20-$65. Running through April 9; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; 2 p.m. (except April 6) & 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday.