The University of Iowa’s Hancher will present Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra performing No Place to Go on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at The Mill in Iowa City. The show is the latest offering in the Club Hancher series of events.
Named one of “The Year’s Most Galvanizing Moments” in theater in 2012 by the New York Times, No Place to Go is the story of a man who discovers his job in information handling has been outsourced to Mars. He’s invited to relocate, and a personal crisis ensues. Lipton, supported by a three-band, tells the story himself via a collection of hilarious and catchy songs.
Writing in the New York Times, Ben Brantley said of Lipton and the show: “[L]ike many fine writers of fiction Mr. Lipton has the gift of seeing the everyday at just enough of a slant to slide flat prose into prickly poetry. He is a man who has willed himself into a mongrel showbiz alter ego—part lounge crooner, part folk balladeer—to connect with and heighten his own worldly (and often universal) woes.”
The show, which includes adult language and content, was designed for venues like The Mill, intimate spaces where Lipton and his band can connect directly with the audience. Club Hancher events—including concerts by top musicians in a variety of styles—have proved to be a popular thread of Hancher programming since the organization’s original facility was closed by flooding in 2008.
The performances are supported by the Hancher Partners and gifts to the Hancher Circle through the University of Iowa Foundation.
Tickets are $20 for nonstudents and $10 for college students and youth from the Hancher Box Office.
The Hancher Box Office, located on the first floor of the south end of the Old Capitol Town Center near the parking ramp, is open for phone (319-335-1160 or 800-HANCHER) or walk-up business from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may be ordered online at the Hancher website. Any remaining tickets will be available for sale one hour before show time at The Mill.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact the Hancher Box Office in advance at 319-335-1158.