WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE…

Early in the proceedings of Things with Friends, the new play by Kristoffer Diaz (Hell’s Kitchen, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity) a character dismisses another’s trauma with a snide, “I’m sorry. We all wish we didn’t see things fall”, to which the other responds, “Some of us actually wish that things didn’t fall at all” (I’m paraphrasing). It’s a clever line that reflects the intelligence of this play, which examines weighty topics in the broad, but focuses on the narrow.

(foreground) Nate Santana is NYC in the world premiere of Thing with Friends

The fallen “thing” in question is the George Washington bridge which has collapsed into the Hudson River prior to the first scene of this play, which opens the fortieth season at The American Blues Theater. The play begins with a narrator in the audience representing New York City. That’s right, NYC is a character in the show, and as played by Nate Santana in a near-flawless performance, it is charming, flirty, slightly abrasive, intrusive, and occasionally annoying. In other words, spot on. As the narrator catches us up on the events that transpired before the play, the set is slowly revealed to the audience.

Audrey Billings, Casey Campbell, Nate Santana, Jon Hudson Odom, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel

And what a set it is. A modernist structure, all sharp lines and windows. Scenic designer Grant Sabin has outdone himself. The non-parallel lines are slightly unsettling, even the placement of the room is askew relative to the audience, slanting slightly away from them (it was amusing watching audience members repeatedly change seats while trying to identify the best seats in the house). The overall effect is of icy sterility and wealth. This is not a home that protects.

What a contrast then to this apartment are Adele (Audrey Billings) and Burt (Casey Campbell), our long-married principal couple, who are putting the final touches to the prep before that classic theatrical conceit, “The dinner party”. Billings and Campbell have a lovely lived-in chemistry, and in a few moments, with minimal dialog, they effortlessly establish their warm relationship. Things kick into motion with the arrival of their dinner guests Vy (Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel) and Chabby (Jon Hudson Odom), a high-wired, power couple who’ve fled the building in NYC for the safer confines of New Jersey.

Audrey Billings, Maya Lou Hlava, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel

The twists and turns of the plot are yours to discover, but with our principal quartet in place, steak is consumed, bottles of wine are cleverly produced and drained, voices are raised, threats exchanged, tempers ratcheted higher and higher — yet for all its manic intensity and anger, this is still a hilarious play, and director Dexter Bullard keeps all the balls in the air with admirable skill.

Billings and Campbell are marvelous as the hosts. Her tightly controlled affect at the beginning yields rich emotional rewards in the latter half. Cambell has a nice relaxed stage presence and his genial bonhomie gives way to anger and resentment in the most natural way possible. He’s also the funniest character on stage. As the antagonists, Gonzalez-Cadel and Jon Hudson Odom, have excellent comic timing. They have to supply energy and abrasiveness to the proceedings and they do this in spades — although truth be told they could bring it down a notch at times. Hudson, in particular, occasionally skates dangerously close to parody.

Casey Campbell, Audrey Billings

As the narrator, Nate Santana is a gift to the production. His little geography lesson is possibly the most “New York” thing ever and is an absolute delight. Given his surreptitious peeks at his notes, I wondered if he’s not entirely off-book (tut, tut!), but he’s so charming that he makes it work somehow.

The play itself is a hydra — a beast with many heads: a satire of late-stage capitalism; an environmental parable; a relationship drama; and more. It even moves tantalizingly into absurdist territory but doesn’t quite take the plunge. I was reminded of the works of J.G. Ballard multiple times (particularly High-Rise with the guests being the id to the hosts’ ego). The central quartet also brought to mind the similar characters and set-up in God of Carnage — a very funny but overrated play which winds up being as smug and superficial as the people it mocks. Thankfully, Diaz offers richer characters in the service of a better play. It’s a testament to his writing that he manages to make this all work. There are some moments that are a bit much: rapacious capitalists devouring red meat with their hands without getting any blood on their clothes is a little too on the nose, but it’s a hilarious sight gag and he gets away with it.

Jon Hudson Odom, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Audrey Billings

He also gets away with a colossal miscalculation in the last portion of the play that had me internally screaming “Nooooo”. I won’t spoil the moment but it absolutely shatters the mood and momentum built up to that point. The tension dissipates and while the play regroups with some powerful imagery for its last scene, I couldn’t help but wonder how much more powerful that closing frame would have been without that bit preceding it.

Nate Santana, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Jon Hudson Odom, Casey Campbell, Audrey Billings

I spent some time after this production thinking about what makes a great play. Strictly running the numbers, as Vy and Chabby would no doubt do, Things with Friends would probably not qualify. But it all comes down to your expectations when you walk into the theatre. I recently enjoyed, and indeed, gave a positive review to Chicago Shakes’ Billie Jean, a slick, polished piece of entertainment that vanished from my mind the moment I hit “send” on the email containing my review. Things with Friends is brimming with ideas, possibly more ideas than it can handle. And sure, there are missteps — some of which are detailed above — but if you’re the sort of person who walks into a theatre wanting to be challenged, then you’ll forgive those missteps.

This is theatre that’s messy and bruising.

This is theatre that demands your attention and intelligence.

This is theatre that’s ferociously alive.

This is theatre.

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photos by Michael Brosilow

Things with Friends
American Blues Theater
5627 N Lincoln Ave.
90 minutes with no intermission
ends on October 5, 2025
for tickets (39.50-$49.50), call 773.654.3103 or visit American Blues Theater

for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago

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