Drunk Shakespeare Chicago — Attraction in Chicago

What a welcome! Being as we were walking in right at 7pm due to our uber being 23 minutes late picking us up. We felt so bad walking in but were greeted so warmly by the staff!! As soon as we walked in we were greeted with a welcome shot. It was the signature cocktail. It was delicious. Homemade lemonade, makers and blackberry liqueur. We purchased the balcony seats which were the cheapest but honestly there wasn’t any bad seats. I originally wanted to purchase the throne seats which was $500 for two people and it came with all the perks. My husband and I drove up from Louisville KY for a 4 day stay for St. Patrick’s day so we booked quite a few things already so we skipped those seats. However, no one bought the seats so they auctioned them off which was pretty cool. They went for $120. They had a nice drink menu and light snack menu. We ordered 2 of the signature cocktails ($28 total) 2 waters (free) and the caviar charcuterie board ($28). It was delicious! A little pricey on the snacks and drinks so if you have dinner reservations at a pricey place after (like we did) then I would suggest having a light snack and drinks before the show at a bar near by. The show was beyond words! A perfect mix of Shakespeare and improvisational. My husband and I were cracking up. The actors are so talented and quick witted! Really enjoyed the audience participation. We attended the 7pm show. Which was perfect because we were out in time to get to our dinner reservation at Sushi-San. Which is a must!! So, if you are a Shakespeare fan or don’t even know that much but love comedy, quick wit improv done by extremely talented actors done in an entertainingly high energy way then this is the show for you! We will definitely go again as no two shows will ever be the same! Such an incredible experience and the venue was very nice. As you can see from the pictures you are basically in a circle and the actors are in the center. It makes for an immersive atmosphere. All of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I wanted to know what kind of caviar I got and she went back and got the brand and name for me which was so sweet. Bravo Drunk Shakespeare Bravo!! 100 out of 10 (lol) would highly recommend this...

Enjoyable and funny even when not drunk. (I'm not going to say it wouldn't help a bit, though.)

Drinks are available during the show, should you wish to become as inebriated as the night's unlucky star performer, but they aren't cheap (are drinks EVER cheap at the theatre, though?)

A working knowledge of Shakespeare may help, but you don't need to be an expert, and don't worry, they're not going to whip out something as arcane as Troilus and Cressida or Pericles or Titus Andonicus...and you won't need to be able to tell Henry IV part 2 from Henry VI part 3. (Sigh of relief all around.)

You should know that it's a very small venue and if you don't want the cast to interact with you, you may want the 2nd or 3rd row seating. No guarantees that you will be safe there, though! Generally though, don't volunteer if you don't want to participate, and be a good sport if you get picked on a tiny bit. It'll be okay. It's not like you're ever going to see any of these people again!

All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. Well worth the drive and maybe even the cost of parking ($60!! Although super close by...)

Although they ask you to be butts in seats by quarter til....they actually didn't open the doors until then. Just FYI if it's cold out.

And yes. That's really where it is, in this tiny little nondescript shopfront next to Taco Bell. No, you really don't get 'tickets'. It's cool. Like the confirmation email says, just give your party's name at the door and show your ID. That's it. (And another side note--we paid for 'mezzanine' seating [second row] but they sat us in the first row. No objections.)

If you want to do something really nice for your partner/best friend/spouse/whoever, as long as they aren't terrified of the spotlight, consider the throne. Really. Seems like it would be quite a memorable experience! (That may or may not be a subtle hint to a certain someone of my own...

As a product of the public education system, the most I learned about Shakespeare was… well nothing; none of it made any sense to me in school. However, two things I was quickly versed in after moving to Chicago is that theater and drinking are very important and well crucial to staying warm. Drunk Shakespeare combines both of these things in the most magical of ways. When you enter you are greeted by a shot. Don’t ask questions, just take it, and let the adventure begin. Over the 90min performance you will laugh, probably want to dance, and if you get lucky you will end up a part of the act. I have now been twice and am planning to take my parents during the holidays. The drink menu is robust, the cast takes the time to mingle with the audience before the show, and well if you’re reading this in the winter, it’s warm inside! My drawbacks are minimal and minor at best. My critique is the seating and the shows consistency. Although the ambiance is a fun library, don’t expect your back to thank you for attending. The seats lack any kind of support and are very tight. However, if you find yourself perplexed on whether to attend a sold-out show or one with more space, always choose the sellout performance. The crowd and its reaction are what makes the show brilliant! As for the consistency, I won’t give away what play is rendered, but they do it so well EVERY SINGLE TIME. I wish the cast modernized other works of Shakespeare too instead of putting on the same play. Although it has proven to be a timeless act. All in all, I rate the show a 17/17 and will be back because I have a strong back and well, if the play doesn’t change, the audiences reactions do and that’s...