CHICAGO--Sometimes the absence of hype can create a kind of presence. Remarkably, Lookingglass Theatre Company has not tried to capitalize on the return of company member David Schwimmer to its stage. (Between now and June 7 he is tackling the title role in David Catlin's adaptation of Dostoevsky's "The Idiot.") Neither in the press release nor program is Schwimmer given special billing. Inevitably, of course, word has gotten out and box office sales have heated up. Another reason for the reticence: Chicago theatergoers are less easily swayed by the star system or celebrity worship, especially when it's a native son like Schwimmer or William Petersen (now appearing in "Flyovers" at the Victory Gardens Theater). To many, Schwimmer is a still-fresh face, familiar from the early work at Lookingglass that offered him the apprenticeship that led to "Friends." It's no big deal.
-- By Lawrence Bommer
Chicago Correspondent