A Rare Treat Onstage at the Goodman

This is odd, but fascinating.  Most people probably won't watch it, but it's worth knowing about.

The Goodman Theatre in Chicago is one of the legendary regional theater companies in the United States, even winning a Tony Award for that.  Because of the coronavirus, they -- like other theaters -- have closed down for the time being.  But the Goodman announced something unexpected yesterday -- they said that would would stream one of the recent, acclaimed productions online.

The show is 2666, directed and co-written by their artistic director Robert Falls, who won a Tony Award in 1998 for directing a revival of Death of a Salesman.  This production is very long -- divided into five parts, running about six hours.  I assume was done over two nights.  This is how they describe the play --​

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This epic stage adaptation of Roberto Bolaño’s internationally acclaimed novel is now available online for free, unlimited streaming.

A soaring adaptation of Chilean-born author Roberto Bolaño’s masterpiece, 2666 begins with a group of hapless European academics hot on the trail of an elusive author—a search that leads them into the dark heart of a Mexican border city where the murders of hundreds of women remain unsolved. This story gives way to a surprising, panoramic portrait of the 20th century that spans more than 100 years and jumps from Spain to Mexico to Germany and beyond, illuminating the power of literature to reflect and transform the world. An unflinching look at the nature of evil, 2666 is an ambitious new work unlike any other theatrical experience.

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As I said, I don't expect most people will watch this play, but it's highly worth checking out at least some of it, if only to get a rare chance of seeing something from the Goodman Theatre, let alone something this acclaimed.

You can find it online here.