THE PRESS ROOM

Press Stills for The Great God Pan:

Press Resources:

WildClaw Press Release (January 14, 2008)

Lily Mojekwu as Helen/Helene
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Michaela Petro as Mary
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Steve Hersen and James Eldrenkamp
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Tom Hickey as Clarke, Steve Hersen as Reynolds, Michaela Petro as Mary
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Michaela Petro as Mary
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J. David Moeller as Old Clarke
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WBEZ Interview with Charley Sherman
Listen to an interview with director/adaptor, Charley Sherman, on WBEZ's radio program, Eight Forty-Eight.

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=18899

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Reviews For The Great God Pan

TimeOut Chicago Review (see full review)
"If this is the WildClaw standard for horror, we’ll gladly be horrified again.There’s strong, nuanced character work from the principals (including Lily Mojekwu, Tom Hickey and an astonishing mute performance by Michaela Petro), and the multiply-cast ensemble impresses."
-Kris Vire

Windy City Times Review (see full review)
Playwright Charley Sherman is still remembered in Chicago for his award-winning page-to-stage adaptations of contemporary creep-lit authors, and his rendition of this period thriller is laudable for its roster of elements associated with the genre: esoteric cult-worship, gloomy abandoned houses, gruesome unnatural deaths, masquerade balls attended by licentious guests, strolls through the fleshpots of fin-de-siècle London, innocent virgins strapped to surgical tables, callow youths driven to ruin by femmes extremely-fatales (reflecting the gilded age's fear and fascination with the notion of uninhibited sexuality—especially in women) and, of course, gallons of lovingly-replicated gore.

Assisted by Elise Kauzlaric's superlative dialect instruction, Tom Hickey makes a suitably buttoned-up skeptic to Lily Mojekwu's sensual mystic. Steve Herson projects conviction in the role of the technologist unable to cope with moral ambiguity, as does J. David Moeller's elderly witness whose testimony frames our story, along with an ensemble of actors and designers—in particular, Adam Kozlowski's sound, Allison Greaves' costumes and Ryan Oliver's “biological effects.” Together, they transform what could have been merely a quaint study of prudish Victorian intolerance into a timely lesson for audiences today."
-Mary Shen Barnidge

The Chicagoist Review (see full review)

"Our take: next time you’re in the mood for a spine-tingler, put down the Netflix and give this play a shot. It delivers the guts and gore you crave, and you may actually get blood splattered on you. Score."
-Ali Trachta

Killer-works.com (see full review)
"Fantastically executed... It would be impossible to tell the story literally from Machen's text, but Charley Sherman (adaptor/director) does an excellent job of creating a narrative flow that makes sense. Lighting and sound skillfully move you around the stage, help set the tone and punctuate the moments of tension. The acting is also of high caliber and the female leads Lily Mojekwu (as the many faces of evil) and Michaela Petro (as Mary) are particularly captivating."
-Jude Mire

Chicago Reader (Caution: Spoiler Alert for full review)
" The show generates spooky fun in the vein of the classic Hammer Films thrillers of the 1950s and '60s, achieving some powerful moments thanks to intense performances, inventive and sometimes grisly visual effects, and Adam Kozlowski's marvelous sound design."
-Albert Williams

Centerstage (see full review)
" This fledgling company has made a bloody name for itself on the Off-Loop theater scene with this singular production.

Michaela Petro, appearing mostly as a mute character, is a wonderfully expressive and entrancing Mary, through whose eyes the initial horror of this story is seen. Lily Mojekwu's bewitching Helen easily and skillfully transforms each situation with style, elegance and animal ferocity, the better to ensnare her next victim. However, it is the fate of one of those victims, played to innocent perfection by Peter Corey, that will stay with you long after the lights dim.

This modest production boasts many excellent special effects by biological properties artist Ryan Oliver; the stage becomes littered with spurting blood and assorted lifelike body parts throughout the production. The mood of the play is audibly enhanced by Adam Kozlowski's brilliant, pulsating sound design."
-Colin Douglas

ChicagoCritic.com (see full review)
"This is a major achievement as a piece of horror theatre...(a) well acted and eerie work (with terrific lighting by Paul Foster with outstanding mood setting sound design by Adam Kozlowski), delivers Machen’s relatively unknown work quite effectively. This production of The Great God Pan is an outstanding evening of horror/mystery theatre. Chicago needs a “horror theatre” and Wildclaw Theatre sure makes an impressive debut in that realm.

Let me state that The Great God Pan aptly explores the nature of evil and the search for evil’s true identity that unfolds with several unique twists. This major work is engaging and scary. The low budget production delivers several well-time moments that make you jump out of your seat. Tom Hickey, Lily Mojekwu and Peter Corey were terrific. Kudos to Charley Sherman for attempting and succeeding with a complex horror classic. I await more."
-Tom Williams

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