LatinosUSA

By Olga Nuñez Miret

Hi all:

I bring you one of the books I’ve read and reviewed for Rosie’s Book Review Team. It is the third in a series I discovered through the group, and I eagerly look forward to.

The Very Last Production of King Lear: A Dwayne Finnegan Novel (The Dwayne Finnegan Series Book 3) by Richard Engling

“a rollicking ride through the underbelly of the acting world”
–Midwest Book Review

In this third novel of the series, Dwayne Finnegan has another crack at the big time as he directs his highly talented (but definitely dysfunctional) actors in King Lear at Chicago’s prestigious Goodman Theatre. However, his lead actor succumbs to terminal confusion, his set designer plans a huge, illegal fire effect on stage, his actors fall in and out of love, his wife Angela consorts with a mysterious curandera, and Dwayne must set everyone straight before opening night.

Advance Praise

“Richard Engling is a Chicago theater guy—actor, director, artistic director. He’s taken his years of experience as the raw material for a trilogy of novels about life in Chicago storefront theaters. His latest book—The Very Last Production of King Lear—is the story of how the director of a small theater company is invited to produce a play at Goodman Theatre…Engling fills his book with so many local theater and Chicago references that it’s a treat for a Chicago theater lover to read…But I think the novel would be interesting for anyone who likes a good story…it is a damn good story.”
—Nancy S. Bishop, Third Coast Review
https://www.amazon.com/Very-Last-Production-King-Lear-ebook/dp/B0FLVZ3N3Q/

About the author:

Richard Engling is a Chicago actor, playwright, and novelist, whose books include the novels, GIVE MY REGARDS TO NOWHERE: A DIRECTOR’S TALE, VISIONS OF ANNA and BODY MORTGAGE, and the collection of plays, ANTIGONE AND MACBETH: ADAPTATIONS FOR A WAR-TORN TIME. His plays also include GHOST WATCH and ANNA IN THE AFTERLIFE and have been produced in Chicago and elsewhere.

My review:

I write this review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team (author, check here if you are interested in getting your book reviewed) and thank her and the author for this opportunity.

I was lucky to discover Richard Engling and his Dwayne Finnegan Series through Rosie’s Book Review Team, and I have since read and reviewed the three novels of the series he has published so far.

I love live theatre, and I would always like to know what goes on behind the scenes. So, this series, about a theatre director who, somehow, ends up in charge of a bizarre but fascinating ensemble company, is a perfect match for me. The fact that the author knows inside out what he is talking about makes the books an even more compelling read. We are given inside knowledge, and it is a privilege to witness what goes on in a small theatre company, a fictional one in this case. The company might be fictional, but the inner workings of the theatre world feel true, and the utter dedication and love all the characters feel for their craft come across on every page. Whatever their difficulties are, they want to keep going and ensure that the public has an unforgettable experience every night.

The three books manage to combine and perfectly balance the adventures of an ensemble theatre company trying their luck in the small independent theatre world, with the colourful lives of the characters, all of whom we grow to care for and appreciate.

The third novel sees the company, The Psychedelic Dream Theatre, about to make real one of their dreams, performing at the Goodman Theatre of Chicago, one of the most prestigious theatres, not only in Chicago, but in the whole country. And they are going to perform one of the best-known and highly acclaimed tragedies by Shakespeare, King Lear. Cue to all kinds of issues coming up: the artistic director of the Goodman Theatre hesitating to decide if they will get the slot for Lear or not; Dwayne seems to have finally managed to get some financial security, but…; Angela, Dwayne’s wife, wants to have a baby, but things prove a bit complicated; Ingrid (set designer and executive director of the company) has some interesting ideas about the set and the special effects; a few of the actors face one crisis or another during the rehearsal stage; Wallace (who is scheduled to play King Lear) decides to direct a play first, and the results are a bit… loud; some of Dwayne’s choices for the cast are non-standard and questioned by others; an actor and friend of Dwayne returns and creates a bit of havoc; Aleister, Dwayne’s friend and a reputed psychiatrist, is called a few times to help the actors with their performance issues… And these are just a few.

And yet, despite all the things that happen, the author has enough time to keep building on the actors and their psychological arcs. As is to be expected, some of them play larger parts than others, but this is a true ensemble of a book, and although Dwayne gives name to the series, he isn’t the only one whose point of view we follow. Everybody plays a part, and I was happy to learn more about Ingrid, a very special woman, whom we get to know and understand better in this book.

The writing style is informal and easy to follow, full of humour, but we can also find some deeply emotional and moving moments. The story is written in the third person, although as I’ve mentioned, we see things from different characters’ points of view (clearly marked, so readers don’t need to worry about head-hopping. It is not an issue).

The book includes a cast of characters at the beginning (Dramatis Personae), which will make it easier for readers who aren’t familiar with the series to follow the story without getting confused. There are enough mentions of events that have happened in previous books for somebody who hasn’t read the rest of the series to get a sense of what the trajectory of the company has been like. Having said that, although I think the book can be read and followed as a stand-alone, there is so much joy and fun in reading the three novels in the right order and following the development of the company, the characters, and their relationships, that I’d recommend reading them in the right order.

I had a great time reading the story, I enjoyed the ending as well (although…), and I hope we’ll get more adventures of Dwayne and The Psychedelic Dream Theatre.

I recommend it to anybody who enjoys well-written books, with a good mix of plot and characters, and generous doses of humour, especially those who love the theatre. Let me add that it is worth checking the author’s newsletter, as he shares news of his writing and his live presentations, which I’m sure must be a treat. Unmissable.

Thanks to the author for the book and the whole series (I hope there are more to come); thanks to Rosie for her hard work and the rest of the team for their support; and, most of all, thanks to all of you for visiting, reading, liking, and sharing these reviews. Remember to take care and to keep smiling.