Bug at Steppenwolf

If you are in Chicago or plan to visit next month you must check out David Cromer's production of Tracy Letts' Bug at Steppenwolf Theater. I saw it saturday night and it was unbelievable. It's amazing to think he wrote this after the oklahoma city bombing, and it's probably even more relevant now as conspiracy theories and fact are now almost completely blurred. Carrie Coon is giving what may be her best performance to date as Agnes (her monolouge in the second act is enthralling) and regional actor Namir Smallwood is sad and frighting as Peter. I would not be surprised if this production has a transfer in the future.

I'm set to go this Friday - very excited for it. I'm a huge Carrie Coon fan (and, naturally, a Letts fan), so I'm thrilled to hear such positive feedback.

I'll be there on the 16th.

LarryD2 said: "I built a weekend trip to Chicago specifically around catching this production."

Same. Also looking forward to Graveyard Shift and Voice of Good Hope.

I saw this two nights ago, and it's as good as everyone is saying it is. Namir Smallwood and Carrie Coon give such genuine, discomfiting performances. I've always thought of this play as a demented love story, and they play that angle with really profound subtlety. The set design is excellent, and the transitions are all handled really elegantly, in a way that doesn't at all remove you from the atmosphere of the show. At this point, I've seen every show Letts has written and while this will never be my favorite work of his, this production really takes the material to its highest possible level. Cromer killed it.

Also: I'm not normally the sort to notice something like this, but the lighting in the second act in particular is the best lighting I've ever seen in any professional show, ever.

My only complaint is that my sightline on the left side wasn't perfect. I saw most everything, but there's a dresser at the front of the stage that would occasionally block a subtle movement or something like that. Luckily, there was a mirror that ameliorated that problem to an extent (a really great design choice), but if you're considering going, I'd suggest you try and buy tickets in the middle section for the best possible sightline.

Tonight I made a return trip to Bug after having seen it February 2020. The production is still top notch and ever so more striking now in the world of Q and other crazy medical conspiracies. Cast was great still, although Carrie Coon was absent tonight’s performance, Maura Kidwell was just as exceptional as Agnes. I’m also very excited about Steppenwolfs expansion and can’t wait to see a show in their in-the-round theatre.

Lots of performances were up on Goldstar for about half-price.

EDIT:

Just checked and it looks like the Goldstar tix are now sold out.

Updated On: 11/22/21 at 03:15 PM

Any buzz about this coming to New York?

fantastic, its a stunning production

I hope this is true: Bug is one of my favorite plays that I've never seen performed live...would love this to happen! Dorian Gray is going to do gangbuster business, I suspect.