Theater Review: Stellar Staging for Invictus Co. ‘Network’

Submitted by PatrickMcD on September 2, 2024 - 10:50am

CHICAGO – In the last several years, how many times have you wanted to shout the “Mad as Hell” movie quote? Well, Invictus Theatre Co. has produced a stage adaptation of “Network” – with that quote shout worthy – at the Windy City Playhouse in Chicago through September 29th. For tickets/details, click HOWARD BEALE.

HollywoodChicago.com Comedy/Tragedy Rating: 4.5/5.0

Play Rating: 4.5/5.0

The events of the play take place in the same 1970s timeline as the film version, and begins with the firing of Howard Beale (Jim Turano), one of the “grand old newscasters” of the CBS/NBC/ABC network era – Howard works for the fictional UBS. He is fired by his producer and friend Max Schumacher (Chuck Munro), but pulls a switcheroo during his farewell week and announces he will commit suicide by blowing his brains out on the air … and this sensational moment causes the news ratings to soar. So Beale gets to continue even as he lapses into further madness, and ambitious network programmer Diane Christensen (Anne Trodden) gets to takeover the now-hot news division, and is given the newly named Howard Beale Show from bottom line network exec Frank Hackett (Joe Sergio), who only sees dollar signs from newly dubbed “Mad Prophet of the Airwaves.” When Howard Beale proclaims, “I’m as mad as hell, and I”m not going to take it anymore” we all know what’s he’s talking about.

At the Windy City Playhouse thru September 29th, 2024
Photo credit: InvictusTheatreCo.org

Audio Theater Review of “Network” by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com …

”Network” is at the Windy City Playhouse, 3014 West Irving Park Road, Chicago. Featuring Jim Turano, Chuck Munro, Anne Trodden, Joe Sergio and Keisha Yelton-Hunter. Written by Lee Hall, from the film by Paddy Chayefsky. Directed by Charles Askenaizer. For more information on Invictus Theatre Company, click here.