Artists Repertory Theatre **Photo credit: Owen Carey**September 3 - October 12, 2008
Review by peanutduck
Equally about adult-child sexual abuse as it is about inexplicable loves and society’s discomfort with budding female sexuality. Amaya-Villazan-the-actress doesn’t exist for a moment; instead we experience only Una, at turns bitterly vengeful, exhaustedly resigned, sexually desirous, and, ultimately, the girl whose lover never returned. Nause (Ray) pales in comparison.
5 comments:
I saw this show this evening, and it was disturbing, intense, riveting, and loving...all at the same time. I think a few more days of previews will work out the minimal kinks...but these actors are amazing. JoAnn has kicked butt with her direction. Highly recommended, but as my compadre said..."They need patron showers afterwards". You do feel a little filthy, but because you're supposed to. Well done, all.
I couldn't disagree more about the direction. Several times I wanted to scream because you had strong actors blocked into corners and disconnecting from their actions. Also, the woman who played Una chose so many negative tactics and objectives that I stopped caring about her. That shouldn't have been missed by the director. However, the script is so strong, it makes it worth seeing.
I disagree with the above comment on it being a strong script. It has holes a mile wide. The physical attacks and garbage throwing come out of nowhere. There is very little setup to justify them. I know what you may be thinking, "the entire play is a setup," but the incidents themselves came way to abruptly. It was almost as if the author said, "I need something to happen here. Hmmm..." I spoke to many people that found their minds wandering during the performance, and all of them loved the acting, so what was the problem? The script. It meandered repetitiously. The play itself reminds me of a car wreck that you crane your neck to see, and then feel terrible that you did. Is just asking questions sufficient in a play? I find that very pertinent to the state of playwriting today. Give me a viable story. Setup, confrontation and resolution. Yes, it's hard to do, but without it you're just rubbernecking to see the blood.
Interesting comment from the last person. I saw the play ( for the second time- I saw it done in NY ) last night and I would have to agree with the anonymous poster that attracted the direction. This IS a great script- and I think the reason why you felt that those things 'came out of nowhere' was because of the choices the actors made and the fact that they didn't really allow to let the feelings happen, but pushed them and tried to ' show' us what they were feeling. With a stronger director and talent involved I wonder if you would have felt differently. I would challenge you to actually read the script and see if you feel the same way. Also, if you think about it- extreme moments in life usually DO come out of nowhere. I also had a mind wandering thing happen to me and finally when I shut my eyes and just listened to the story I was pulled back in- to me that is a clear indication that what I'm seeing isn't good. Look; for me it's always about the story- if the story ain't good, then it doesn't matter how good the actors/director are. This production has potential, it will grow over the run. However, I did feel that the woman was a bit mis- cast, she seemed to be over acting a bit. That part needs someone with some HUGE chops and for me- she just didn't have them. Although, I did see a Tony nominated actress do it before, so I should probably cut her some slack.
Well, in just a very few posts, the opinions are all over the board. And I'll add the one part of the board that hasn't been covered. I didn't find it as shocking as all the local papers' reviewers made it out to be. The flow of the story mostly made sense; I could largely comprehend and accept the back-and-forth of the characters' emotions and pressure upon each other; and it was fairly well acted. Don't understand anonymous 9/09's frustration with the blocking; seems like the angles favored the person who had to do most of the talking, and to place the two in more favorable three-quarters-to-the-audience-at-angles-from-each-other would have been just wrong. How else could one have done it? I think the script is strong, the direction solid, and the acting highly competent. Glad ART tackled the show, glad I saw it -- I just didn't fully buy into the whole thing, for some reason. Maybe it's me; maybe on another night....
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