Lazy Susan Theatre Co.’s ‘Not Bitter Nor Sweet’ Is A Quirky Exploration Of Love

Not Bitter Nor Sweet is a quirky dramedy that was written and brought to the stage in full form in only 4 weeks. A play that centers around what love is through the eyes of teammates at a love-assistance call center, this show is full of entertaining and thought-provoking moments. Check it out!

Love is a much broader topic than we think about on a daily basis. When presented with the word “love,” we likely think of movies like The Notebook or Valentine’s Day. But when you get down to specifics, it’s much more nuanced than that.

The new production of Not Bitter Nor Sweet from the Lazy Susan Theatre Co. explores some of these intricacies. Set at an office that provides love advice, there are different specialists for first love, long-term love, sex advice, self-love, crisis, and situationships all available to help a caller. With one specialist retiring, you get to learn about each of these specialists and their specialties through her eyes.

Some of the main questions being asked (among others) are, “What is love?” and “Am I an expert in love?” “Can long-term love last?” and “What does self-love really mean?” Explored both in the context of the events of the one-day-in-the-life-of-the-office play as well as at least one soliloquy by each of the actors, you get some insights into what they are thinking and how they would answer.

The set of this show is fun. As you enter the theater, you are offered a box of Brach’s Conversation Hearts and a pair of yellow heart-shaped sunglasses. This immediately offers a smile and you are curious to see what happens next. The set is an office setting decorated with photographs, paper hearts, Post-It Notes on the wall, and lots of desks and chairs.

Each cast member is dressed in business casual clothing that is authentic to their character and answers phone calls for various people in need. The tone of the show is funny and quirky, but also very somber and thoughtful during various soliloquies.

Which is what stands out about this production. Throughout the show, each of the characters has a monologue/soliloquy. Speaking their truth, generally about a memory and always about love in some context, they provide a few minutes of deep thought that is authentic to the character. How difficult it can be to be in a long-term relationship. What it is like to be with a grandparent who is dying. Often, the lights change to darkness and spotlight and you are in the moment with them. Each time. It’s a great choice that is extremely effective and captivating.

There is one monologue that stuck out and was an odd change of tone for the show. It is about a situationship that includes a sexual encounter. There was lots of talk of sex within the show, but this felt different. The language and specifics used felt misplaced and tonally, it felt like it belonged somewhere else. That said, this section within the monologue lasts for less than 30 seconds and you keep on going with the original tone of the show.

There are some fantastic visuals in Not Bitter Nor Sweet. The use of Post-It Notes as baggage and/or thoughts all over an actor’s body, the criss-cross of phone cords in front of an actor and then papers blowing like sails of a ship behind them, and staplers as growling dogs are incredibly inventive and entertaining.

My favorite part of the show involved a story about romantic partners and situations as a bowl of fruit. As the story unfolded, fruit got cut into a bowl or placed next to it. Some partners were sweet, some were less so, and some were stinky (like a durian). The entire thing was delivered with a sweetness and thoughtfulness (by Allison Ristaino) that many of us relate to our own memories, regrets, and lessons from partners gone by.

This show was written, directed, and shaped in only four weeks in honor of Chicago Theatre Week, which is an incredible feat. With a talented ensemble (Manuela Álvarez, Jake Griffith, Martha Hansen, Allison Horvatin, Hannah Loessberg, Allison Ristaino, and Nealie Tinlin), interesting topics, and relatable characters, you’ll enjoy your time spent here!

Not Bitter Nor Sweet runs for approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. With themes like sex, loss, and love challenges, and because of that small odd section, this is appropriate for anyone 16 years old and up.

Lazy Susan Theatre Co. Not Bitter Nor Sweet Chicago Review – Not Bitter Nor Sweet is playing at Lazy Susan Theatre Co. through 3/16/2025. Tickets can be purchased on the Lazy Susan Theatre Co. website or by calling 773-404-7336 and using code CTW25 at checkout to unlock 50% off tickets. This production is located at The Greenhouse Theatre Center at 2257 N Lincoln Avenue in Chicago.