Review: JUDGMENT DAY AT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

JUDGMENT DAY may be a world premiere comedy, but it trades in old-school jokes. Rob Ulin’s play is relatively simple and wears its moral heart on its sleeve (Main takeaway: Don’t be a jerk), even if lead role Sammy Campo doesn’t have a heart at all. While JUDGMENT DAY pokes some fun at the Catholic church, the play’s satire is not that deep. That said, this play is swiftly moving and delightfully entertaining, and it fully delivers on the promise of offering audiences a good time. 

It’s hardly insightful to say that Jason Alexander (of SEINFELD fame) has expert comedic timing as the slimy, morally bankrupt lawyer Sammy. After a near brush with death and an encounter with an angel who embodies his former teacher Sister Margaret (Candy Buckley, uproariously funny), Sammy decides to rack up good deeds in the time he has left to avoid the perils of hell. Because doing good doesn’t come easily to Sammy, he teams up with his local priest Father Michael (Daniel Breaker, excellent) in the hopes that his future actions can make up for his shady past. 

JUDGMENT DAY in many ways has a sitcom structure; Ulin ends each scene with a precise beat, and director Mortiz von Stuelpnagel ensures the play doesn’t have any slack. Alexander easily demonstrates his acting expertise as Sammy. He’s utterly despicable but so easy to root for, and he nails that precise balance. He goes a mile a minute, and his daffy, breakneck pacing is delectable. As Father Michael, Breaker is a terrific and classic comedic foil to Sammy. While Alexander plays Sammy as thriving in chaos, Breaker brings a grounded energy. But that’s not to say Breaker is only the play’s straight man; he delivers Father Michael’s unexpected zingers wrly. Rounding out the cast are Olivia D. Dawson as Sammy’s no-nonsense assistant Della, Maggie Bofill as Sammy’s estranged wife Tracy, Ellis Myers as her son Casper, Michael Kostroff as the utterly devout Monsignor, Meg Thalken as Mrs. Edna Fillmore, and Joe Dempsey as Jackson, a life insurance agent. This is an ensemble of well-practiced comedic actors who all understand exactly how to land those humorous beats. 

The play seems primed for Broadway; it’s genuinely funny, easily digestible, and a bit slick. In particular, scenic designer Beowulf Borrit’s sparse, open set has a real polish to it; Borrit’s design keeps the main playing space open, with set pieces flying on and off the stage. The effect is aesthetically pleasing, if a little sleek. JUDGMENT DAY on the whole has a similar sheen. I genuinely laughed out loud in many moments, but this isn’t a comedy that’s trodding any new territory. I’ve been craving just plain fun at the theater, and JUDGMENT DAY delivers (and I suspect it will for many other theatergoers, too), but it’s not pushing the envelope. 

If you’re looking for a show where you can quite literally sit back, relax, and enjoy a stellar ensemble of actors — led by Alexander — perform an old-school style comedy, JUDGMENT DAY is it. 

JUDGMENT DAY runs through May 26, 2024 in the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 East Grand Avenue. Tickets start at $45. 

Photo Credit: Liz Lauren

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