Wolf Lullaby
Australian playwright Hilary Bell takes as inspiration here a number of recent gruesome child murderers, most notably the two ten-year-olds who lured a two-year-old English boy away from his mother and brutally killed him. In Wolf Lullaby, the mutilated body of a little boy who’s been strangled, bitten, and stabbed repeatedly with a pair of scissors is discovered. The evidence suggests a child murderer, and suspicion eventually falls on nine-year-old Lizzie Gael, a seemingly sweet but mischievous and troubled girl. Lizzie seems a rather typical nine-year-old, fond of hopscotch, dolls, and the usual ghoulish nursery rhymes. But her innocent exterior conceals a world of inner torment: Lizzie is racked by guilt and self-loathing and tortured by nightmares in which she’s swallowed by a wolf. Becoming increasingly antisocial, she begins shoplifting and strangling birds at school. And when her mother finds drops of blood on her shoes, it seems Lizzie may have committed murder as well.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Anna D. Shapiro’s stark production in Steppenwolf’s new garage performance space is appropriately creepy, and all four performances are excellent. Lawrence Grimm and Amy Landecker are especially sympathetic and credible as the parents, sentenced to a nightmare they don’t deserve. Jeff Still as Armstrong is imposing and fear inspiring yet as kind as Officer Friendly. But most impressive is ten-year-old Christina Lepri in the incredibly demanding role of Lizzie. One might well wonder how this sort of emotionally draining role will affect such a young, talented actress; at the very least, one expects a slew of nightmares for her as well as for a good chunk of the audience.
