Daily Archives: March 11, 2012
Gift Shows its Cutting Edge Side
ABSOLUTE HELL By Frank Meccia
The Gift Theatre located in Jefferson Park has the U.S. Premiere of Rodney Ackland’s Absolute Hell.The Gift Theatre has an audience capacity of about 35. In this small theatre they had a cast of 21 that made use of every inch of space without seeming over crowded. This play was first produced in London in 1952 and was called The Pink Room, or The Escapists and was a total flop. One reason was in England the Lord Chamberlain censored and approved all scripts. And with a story line that contains misfits, alcoholics, gay men, bohemians you can see why it was censored. Ackland re-wrote the script in 1988 at the age of 80. The National Theatre produced the play in 1995.
The story takes place one month after WWII has ended. England is going through a major change, And you are welcomed to the members only club “La Vie En Rose” and here is where the cast of losers, soldiers, dreamers, artists and lovers meet. Lynda Newton plays Christine Foskett the always drunk owner and need to be loved women. She plays the role perfectly. Michael Thornton plays Hugh Marriner the artist, and dreamer who can’t except that he is always cheating on his lover Nigel played by Dylan Stuckey. The show contains all the elements of an opera, comedy and tragedy with lust, betrayal, envy hope and destruction. Sheldon Patinkin as the director did an excellent job bringing that forward, my only complaint it could have been done in 2hours and 15min, not 3 and a half hours.
I do recommend this show, The Gift Theatre has shown that it can take cutting edge shows and work them well for the small theatre. Absolute Hell will run till April 29.
Raven's take on Arthur Miller's 'The Price'
By Devlyn Camp
Most anything done in life is based on the cost of doing it. Arthur Miller’s late ‘60s play The Price makes that very clear, and questions how money drives people – particularly families – together or apart. Raven’s new production is nothing short of a well-done rendering. The set by Amanda Rozmiarek is fully adorned with the chairs and chests and other furniture knick-knacks Victor wishes to sell. The design, to pop culture junkies, will
definitely evoke memories of J.K. Rowling’s Room of Requirement.
The performance of the four actors is moderate, the best of which is done by Leonard Kraft playing Jewish antique dealer Gregory Solomon. He is sharp and witty with his lines, as well as the overall comic relief next to other actors who never seem to know what to do with their hands. Overall, the play is interesting as an intelligent Miller play on the brilliant psychology of financial choices, but average in this specific construction. And after all, when then price here is $30, is it something worth two hours? Well, that’s your choice.
THE PRICE
Raven Theatre Company
Through April 14, 2012
Tickets $30, available at raventheatre.com
Contact critic at devlynmc@yahoo.com
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