Erika Sheffer’s The Fundamentals opens with a crafty one-two punch. As the house lights dim, stock images of happy, indulgent people splash across a sweeping off-white wall adorned with nondescript high-end sconces. “Happiness is a place,” a soothing disembodied voice intones. “Comfort is a destination.” It soon becomes clear this audiovisual presentation, heavy on marketing hyperbole and inspirational vagaries, is a pitch for the high-end Wellington Hotel Properties. But it isn’t designed to lure customers, but rather to convince hotel employees that fealty to corporate “fundamentals”—resourcefulness, professionalism, courtesy, etc, will imbue their work hours with fulfillment bordering on religious ecstasy.
Like the lion’s share of contemporary playwrights, Sheffer takes her sweet time before hinting that this particular episode in her characters’ lives will be of meaningful consequence. She lets them dally through almost the entire first act, where they freely demonstrate their various concerns, quirks, and vulnerabilities without anything like a plot to get in their way. We learn it’s taken Millie nine years to consider improving her station at the hotel, recently applying for but losing the unaccountable “front desk liaison” position (she lost it to twentysomething Stellan, a self-absorbed actress wannabe). Still, Millie’s got her eye on management, encouraged by big-dreaming Lorenzo, whose groundless ambition (he’s gearing up to manufacture and market glammed-out $1,000 toothpicks) has run afoul of his gambling addiction. Meanwhile Abe has a deadbeat roommate he can’t evict and a nursing-home-bound mother he can’t comfort.
Through 12/23: Wed-Fri 7:30 PM (no show Thu 11/24), Sat-Sun 3 and 7:30 PM, Tue 7:30 PM Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Upstairs Theatre 1650 N. Halsted 312-335-1650steppenwolf.org $50-$82
