‘Strange Cargo: The Doom of the Demeter’ Draws Strong Early Notices in Chicago

Overview

• The world-premiere production is running at City Lit Theater in Chicago through November 23 as a co-production with Black Button Eyes Productions.
• Playwright Timothy Griffin expands Dracula’s Captain’s Log into a standalone nautical horror story directed by Ed Rutherford.
• Reviews single out the ensemble’s cohesion, with Brian Parry’s Captain Gorodetsky and Herb Metzler’s Yorga earning particular praise.
• Designs integrate projections by DJ Douglass, puppetry by Jeremiah Barr, and Joe Griffin’s music and sound alongside scenic, lighting, and costume work.
• Critics describe a moody, ‘gothic-lite’ tone with added themes of prejudice and faith, while noting loose ends, pacing issues, and fight choreography needing refinement; the running time is about 2 hours and 15 minutes.