Twelfth Night & The Mystery of Edwin Drood @ Great Lakes Theatre 10/17 & 10/18/09

Seeing these two productions back-to-back (Saturday night and then back for Sunday matinee) makes it clear that Great Lakes Theatre is more than just a place to see a good show (though it is that for sure). It’s kind of an extra living room for downtown Cleveland.

Yes, both plays were terrific, well-paced, beautiful productions with actors who can make us believe one minute we’re living in Charles Dickens’ England and the next we’re lost in the mad world of Shakespearean comedy and double-entendre. But going to Great Lakes is more than that: The space itself is such a pleasant experience, with a casual attitude (drinks at the bar, at your seat, whatever--), that most people just kinda smile as soon as they walk into the building.

Conversations spring up easily before the show and after. It’s like being at a party where everyone’s friendly and many are witty (the most amusing guests are, of course, are on the stage with lines furnished by professional playwrights). Truly (unless you have the flu) consider going.

This week closes the fall season with “Drood” tonight, Thursday 10/28 at 7:30PM, Saturday 10/31 at 7:30PM and Sunday 11/1 at 3PM, and "Twelfth Night” on Friday 10/30 at 7:30PM and Saturday 10/31 at 1PM.

Laura Kennelly is a freelance arts journalist, a member of the Music Critics Association of North America, and an associate editor of BACH, a scholarly journal devoted to J. S. Bach and his circle.

Listening to and learning more about music has been a life-long passion. She knows there’s no better place to do that than the Cleveland area.