Theater Review: ‘Carol Burnett: An Evening of Laughter and Reflection’

Carol Burnett is appearing in a one-woman show: "Carol Burnett: An Evening of Laughter and Reflection." Courtesy of Carol Burnett

CHICAGO—Time and age have not diminished Carol Burnett’s popularity.  When the beloved comedian stepped onto the Chicago Theatre stage, the audience went wild with applause.

The one-woman show offered the same question-and-answer format that Burnett used to open her 11-year television variety show.  In person, she is as warm and engaging as she was on the TV screen and, even though the Chicago Theatre was filled to its 3,600-seat capacity, it felt as though one was visiting a best friend in the intimacy of a living room.

Famous Guests

One difference, though, was that a wide screen hung on the back wall to accompany Burnett’s recollections with photos and videos from her long-running TV series.  The screen served to show a montage of the special guests that graced her series over the years, which included Julie Andrews, Bob Hope, Andy Griffith, Lily Tomlin, Roddy McDowall, Jonathan Winters, Maggie Smith, Jim Nabors, among many more.