Diana Slickman triumphs in Happy Days

Diana Slickman has been one of the undersung great actors in Chicago theater for decades. Mostly known for her work with the Neo-Futurists (she was an ensemble member there for most of the 90s) and Theater Oobleck (her performances in Mickle Maher’s There Is a Happiness That Morning Is and Song About Himself are particular standouts), as well as her monologues with the solo collective BoyGirlBoyGirl, Slickman’s presence in a show elevates everyone around her. She is pinpoint-precise in her choices but never flashy, fully present but never pleading for our attention. She simply inhabits even the most difficult roles with a compelling blend of vulnerability and stalwart self-awareness.Those qualities are all on display in Slickman’s not-to-be-missed performance in Samuel Beckett’s 1961 play, Happy Days, now playing at the Neo-Futurist Theater in an AutoBody production directed by former Neo-Futurist Trent Lunsford.

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