New York’s Public Theater did it last February, calling it, correctly, “a play for the Great Recession”, but Timon of Athens is still direly under-appreciated and under-performed, which is a shame, because – its status as a “problem play” notwithstanding – Timon is Shakespeare at his most caustic and bitter, even if we aren’t entirely sure how much of the play he even wrote. Basically, Timon’s this wealthy guy who treats all of his friends to fine wine, fine food, and financial patronage, and then – whoops! – some business dealings go wrong and he winds up broke. Then his friends ditch him. Then he goes crazy in the woods. Exeunt omnes. What makes it very nearly a horror play is this: Humanity has always been craven, self-serving and venal. True philanthropists have always been in short supply. In four hundred years, we have as a species learned nothing about being decent to each other. Chicago Shakes’ production reflects this; it’s set in the modern business world. Shocking, I know. The show runs through June 10. (FULL ARTICLE: Chris Jones, Theater Loop, Chicago Tribune)