THEATER REVIEW
According to the Neo-Futurist hotline, snagging a seat to the19-year-old, late-night show "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" involves getting there at least 45 minutes in advance and standing in line outside the Nelson Funeral Home. I did my stints in line a decade or more ago — a bit farther down the street at the old Annoyance Theatre, where critics were always treated like scum.
So last weekend, I picked the 7 p.m. Sunday performance of "TMLMTBGB" — supposedly but not actually a more sedate performance. I showed up, rolled the die that determines the entry price (I hit a 6, so it cost me $13) and then snagged almost the very last seat in the 150-seat theater. That's good news for everyone, since the Neos have been ordering pizza for the audience for years every time they sell out. That's one pizza for 150 people, but it's still a nice gesture.
And I was blown away at the palpable audience demand for a show that's been running for nearly two decades.
I hadn't seen "TMLMTBGB" in more than 10 years. These days, it attracts a diverse but mostly youthful crowd—everything from middle-school kids to couples on a date. And there's also a surprisingly large number of parent-child pairings. It's like "TMLMTBGB" has become a kind of user-friendly, entry-level attraction to the gritty Chicago fringe.
And what of the show? It's a lot more polished than you might think. I had a very good time.