For anyone missing The Buttcracker burlesque, which is sadly on hiatus this year, I’d suggest a visit to PrideArts to spice up your holiday theatergoing. With less bare skin and more ribald rhymes and phallic puns, Throbbin Wood is an adult take on the British theatrical tradition of pantomime, or panto.
Throbbin Wood
Through 12/18: Wed-Sat 7:30 PM, Sun 3 PM; no shows 11/25-11/29; PrideArts Center, 4139 N. Broadway, 773-857-0222, pridearts.org, $35 (seniors/students $30)
Across the pond, pantos are silly, family-friendly retellings of fairy or folk tales, with plenty of slapstick comedy and audience participation. For the third consecutive year, PrideArts offers a similarly raucous experience, but instead of merely booing and hissing at the villain, viewers are invited to shout less printable greetings at characters such as Nanny Fanny (Neill Kelly) and Silly Willy (Freddy Mauricio).
Directed by Taylor Pasche, Throbbin Wood follows the eponymous hero (Bryan Fowler) and his band of Merry Men (Jackson Anderson, Jack Gordon, and Kyle Johnson) as they try to rescue Maid Marian (Emma Robie) from the Sheriff of Frottingham (the delightfully wicked Ryder Dean McDaniel) with some magical help from Fairy Glitter-ous (Danielle Bahn). Tom Whalley’s saucy script is peppered with covers of artists such as Chappell Roan and TikTok sensation Jane Bell, with music direction by Chad Gearig and choreography by Jen Cupani.
If an abundance of codpieces, references to King Dick (McDaniel), and sex toy–inspired choreography sounds like your idea of a good time, then get thee to Frottingham.
More By Emily Mcclanathan
Falsettos hits all the right notes
Court and TimeLine partner for a vibrant and touching revival of a musical from the early days of the AIDS pandemic.
A Nazi in Oak Park
A new book delves deep into the SS guard turned Oak Park custodian who divided the suburb.
Tangled fairy tale
Kokandy’s Into the Woods captures the musical’s thorny dilemmas.
Reader Recommends: THEATER & DANCE
Reader reviews of Chicago theater, dance, comedy, and performance arts.
America’s tragedy, onstage at Lyric Opera
Sweet Gwen Suite makes its company premiere alongside work by Aszure Barton, Lar Lubovitch, and Kyle Abraham.
Marriott’s White Christmas captures the seasonal spirit.
Sofa King Queer is a rousing pop-punk musical.
Pilot Island & Her Keepers tells a captivating tale about a real lighthouse.
Every Brilliant Thing offers some quiet respite at Writers Theatre.