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Theatre Mon May 11 2009
STATIC: A headphones tour
IPod? On. Earbuds? Firmly inserted. One, two, three -- press play. And you're off on a winding, interactive journey through a house on the lake, guided by voices through the twists and turns of a ghost story.
The basic story: The eccentric Walter Burke recorded every sound in his life -- washing machine, grandfather clock, refrigerator -- and after his death, his entire cassette tape collection was found by a young couple, Margaret and Will. The mystery of Walter Burke and his wife Millie unravels as Margaret and Will listen to each tape, leading listeners on a guided tour of Walter and Millie's unusual life and ghostly encounters.
It's kind of like being inside an episode of This American Life, except the people on the radio are talking directly to you. The production quality of the headphones tour is outstanding, and the performances of the storytellers are so good that I forgot I was listening to fiction. I won't say more, because small treats and surprises are scattered throughout the tour.
The performance, by Sansculottes Theater Company, takes place at the North Lakeside Cultural Center and runs most Fridays and Saturdays through May 30th, with tours starting on the half hour from 7:30 pm onward. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.