Flimflammers, Inc. - Chicago Reader

An awkward young person (Levi Welch, nameless but referred to as “Junior” later) shows up for their first day of work at a shabby office, unaware and unprepared for what’s in store. At one desk, a woman (Daniella Rukin, called “Senior”) is fast asleep. Rousing her—to great irritation—the new arrival peppers her with questions, none of which gets a straight answer. Then the boss (Tristan Odenkirk, “the Doctor”) arrives and their “work” begins.

Cycling haphazardly through disguises and identities, the Doctor rubber-stamps scientific studies, quality control tests, and whatever else a client might need to keep their business rolling without true oversight. Junior’s queries about lawfulness and morality are laughed off as naive by his coworkers. After an inspector shows up who threatens to expose their sham operation but lets them keep things as they are (provided they do him an occasional favor), Senior decides to abandon ship.

Fraudulent LLC
Through 12/21: Thu–Sat 8 PM; Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland, 773-384-0494, trapdoortheatre.com, $20

The Doctor is happy to keep lining his pockets by hook or by crook, and Junior—who is now promoted to Senior—can’t afford to quit. They’re trapped in unreality and must play along. There’s no other choice.

Jonathan Quigley directs what’s billed as a comedy they cowrote and codirected with Tracy Tojo. I insert the qualification because what’s funny, rather than horribly pedestrian and true, is in such flux these days. Whatever you call it, it’s too familiar for comfort. The flimflammers have won and how we function in their world remains to be seen.