Broadcast live from Goodman Theatre’s intimate Owen Theatre, THE SOUND INSIDE intrigues because of the twists and turns in Adam Rapp’s script, but also because it combines cinematic-quality streaming with the thrill of live theater. It’s been over a year since I last stepped inside a theater, and now with the first limited run production in its LIVE series, the Goodman has come extremely close to capturing the exhilaration of being live and in the room with theater. Running only for four more performances through Sunday, May 16, THE SOUND INSIDE is indeed a unique and limited-edition experience. 

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Writers Theatre’s THE LAST MATCH focuses on the interior lives of two world-famous tennis players, Tim Porter (Ryan Hallahan) of the United States and Sergei Sergeyev (Christopher Sheard) of Russia. The concept of interiority central to Anna Ziegler’s play — and the fact that THE LAST MATCH has only four characters — makes it a particularly keen theatrical production to stage for the purpose of streaming at home. Keira Fromm’s direction plays up the narrative elements in Ziegler’s script —  Tim and Sergei frequently use direct address to communicate with the audience. Matt Hoffman’s television direction nicely balances close-up shots and wider shots. 

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