Archive for February, 2024

Revised, Visually Striking “Company” Explores Commitment Issues from a New Perspective with a Strong Cast

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre on February 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Company
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by George Furth
Directed by Marianne Elliott
Choreographed by Liam Steel
The Fox Theatre
February 27, 2024

Cast of Company
Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Company North American Tour

For Stephen Sondheim fans, Company is generally regarded as a classic show, although since it debuted in 1970, the show has appeared more and more dated over the years, even though it has been revived several times. The current iteration, on tour at the Fox Theatre, is director Marianne Elliott’s effort to update the story even more than before. At the Fox, the show features some stylish visual elements as well as a strong cast, making for a compelling, entertaining production, for the most part.

As opposed to previous revivals that made a few setting updates but still kept the casting similar to the original, this production makes some major changes. Most notably, here the protagonist is not the male Robert/Bobby, but the female Bobbie (Beth Stafford Laird), who is approaching her 35th birthday amid the well-meaning pressures and worries of her married friends to consider marriage herself. It’s a concept show, so there isn’t really a linear plot. The story instead consists of a series of vignettes and reflections on the concept of marriage and relationships, as her friends demonstrate wildly different experiences of wedlock while still insisting that Bobbie give marriage a try. We also meet three contrasting men she dates–the handsome but not-too-bright Andy (Kenneth Quinney Francoeur), the edgy PJ (Tyler Hardwick), and the family-minded Theo (David Socolar). Through the course of the story, Bobbie is driven to personal reflection and forced to reckon with her own fears of commitment in trying to decide what she really wants in a relationship. 

Elliott’s Company revival originated in London in 2018 before opening on Broadway in 2021. I was thrilled to have been able to see it in London, and I remember enjoying it immensely, as well as thinking that the gender-switched lead casting worked better in a modern setting, considering that today, it’s more believable that a 35-year-old woman would be pressured by society to marry than a 35-year-old man. The other adjustments also worked well in fitting with that premise. Seeing the touring production now, I still think it works better with a woman in the lead, unless it’s done as a period piece set in the early 1970’s. Some of the subject matter can be difficult no matter what the setting, in that this seems like an especially cynical view of marriage and relationships, and I also find myself wondering why Bobbie is friends with some of these characters–but with vivid characterizations and performances, energetic and thoughtful staging, and a succession of classic Sondheim songs like “Side by Side by Side”, “Another Hundred People”, “The Ladies Who Lunch”, and “Being Alive”, it’s a compelling, entertaining story that’s sure to be fodder for reflection and conversation. 

The production is excellent, reflecting strong casting not just in the principals but also in the understudies, as several were on for the performance I saw, and I wouldn’t have been able to guess they were understudies if I hadn’t been informed by the cast board in the lobby. One of these memorable understudies is Laird, in the lead role of Bobbie, standing in for principal Britney Coleman. Laird gives a convincing, relatable performance, displaying strong stage presence and movement, as well as a fine voice. Other notable understudies include Francoeur in a convincing comic performance as Andy, as well as Christopher DeAngelis and Elysia Jordan as the bickering couple Peter and Susan. Also standing out in this cast include Judy McLane as the snarky Joanne, who does an excellent job emphasizing the self-sabotaging loneliness of the character as well as her assertiveness.  Matt Rodin is a delight as anxious groom-to-be Jamie (changed from nervous bride “Amy” in the original), who delivers an energetic rendition of “Getting Married Today” and displays strong friendship chemistry with Laird’s Bobbie. Also, Kathryn Allison and James Earl Jones II are memorable as the competitive couple Sarah and Harry. The whole ensemble is strong, with cohesive chemistry and a good deal of energy and presence, handling the upbeat numbers and the more reflective moments well. 

In terms of staging, this show does a great job of portraying the pressure Bobbie experiences through its scenery, with a clever modular set by Bunny Christie that works well in portraying a claustrophobic, boxed-in atmosphere for Bobbie as her birthday approaches and her friends plan a party and assert their influence. Christie’s costumes also suit the characters well, as does the hair, wig, and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates. Neil Austin’s lighting also works well to set the mood and New York City vibe of the show. The band, led by music director Charlie Alterman, brings suitable energy to the classic Sondheim score, as well.

If you’re used to the classic staging of Company, you’re in for a surprise, and to my mind, it’s a pleasant one. While it’s to individual viewers to decide whether or not the “updating” makes sense, this is a stylish, well thought-out revisal that serves as a showcase for the notable score as well as some first-rate performances. It’s a new spin on a Broadway classic, and a thoroughly entertaining spin, at that. 

Cast of Company
Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
Company North American Tour

The North American tour of Company is playing at the Fox Theatre until March 10, 2024

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“Fly” at the Black Rep is a Compelling, Personal Tale

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , on February 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Fly
by Joseph L. Edwards
Directed by Joseph L. Edwards
The Black Rep
February 17, 2024

Joseph L. Edwards
Photo by Keshon Campbell
The Black Rep

Fly, currently running at the Black Rep, is a one-man show in several senses of the term, featuring a solo performance by its writer, who also directed. This is Joseph L. Edwards’ vision, and it’s a compelling look into one Black man’s reflections, and response to the wider experience of being Black in America. It also features some striking production design and clever effects that add to the overall theatrical sensibility of the story.

It’s a short play, running at about 80 minutes, and although Edwards is the sole performer, leading figure “Fly” Lewis isn’t the only character in the show, as Edwards plays a variety of roles as Fly tells his story on a rooftop in Brooklyn, awaiting a celestial event that’s supposed to happen later that night. As Fly tells his own story of growing up, and of living his life in New York City, he reflects on his own struggles as well as those of people he has known–such as family members and his childhood best friend–and people he meets. There are also voiceovers of news broadcasts and reactions of neigbhors in his building, as Fly prepares a sort of shrine as he readies himself for the transformation that he expects to happen as the cosmic event arrives. 

This is an intensely personal piece, as Edwards portrays through a series of distinctive characters the everyday aspirations of Black people, as well as the obvious and more subtle injustices they face in society, and particularly in America. There’s a good deal of humor here, but also some real moments of poignancy and tragedy, all portrayed in with vivid energy by Edwards, who gives a remarkably affecting performance, showing the presence and charisma that gives this play its dramatic center, playing a whole cast of characters with convincing energy.

The technical aspects of the play are also impressive. No designers are credited in the program , but the co-technical directors are Christian Kitchens and Kaylie Carpenter. The overall look and atmosphere of a Brooklyn rooftop is impressively realized, with all the varied objects that Fly produces to contribute to his shrine, adding depth to the overall story.

This is a show Edwards has performed in many different places throughout the years, and the reason for its longevity is fairly clear. Fly is at once a highly individualized story and a depiction of a more universal quest for hope in a difficult world. It’s a timely, vividly portrayed story with a strong central performance. 

The Black Rep is presenting Fly at Washington University’s Hotchner Theatre until March 10, 2024

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Morality, Philosophy, and Physics Collide in STLAS’s Compelling “Copenhagen”

Posted in St Louis Theatre on February 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Copenhagen
by Michael Frayn
Directed by Wayne Salomon
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
February 11, 2024

Joel Moses, Lizi Watt, Aaron Orion Baker
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Michael Frayn is a versatile playwright. After watching Copenhagen from St. Louis Actors’ Studio, with its complex characterizations and moral, philosophical, and challenging subject matter, I find it somewhat amazing that this comes from the same playwright as the outrageous farce Noises Off! One thing the two plays do have in common, though, is precision. Copenhagen, as directed by Wayne Salomon on stage at STLAS’s Gaslight Theatre, features a complex, precisely structured script that requires much from its actors, who deliver with profound effect in this tightly paced production. It also requires much in the way of thought from its audience, as matters of moral complexity, as well as some intricate matters of philosophy, mathematics, and quantum physics play major roles in this story based on history.

The story follows two well-known physicists, Niels Bohr (Aaron Orion Baker) and Werner Heisenberg (Joel Moses), as well as Bohr’s wife, Margrethe (Lizi Watt), as the three start out existing “out of time”, as sort of ethereal spirits, pondering what happened on a famous day in 1941 when Heisenberg came to Copenhagen to meet with his former mentor, Bohr. Since Heisenberg was working on atomic energy for the German government, and the Bohrs were living in Nazi-occupied Denmark, the tensions are apparent, as the three figures act out various versions of that much-debated meeting. The moral questions revolving around atomic weapons and Heisenberg’s loyalties are brought up again and again, as the physicists also discuss principles of theoretical physics, and reminisce about earlier times, when Heisenberg was a young student learning from Bohr. Emotions run high, as profound questions and life or death issues are debated, and the deep friendship is challenged. While the two physicists are prominent, Margrethe is equally so, as a partner in her husband’s work and an essential participant in the quest to answer the insistent question–“why did Heisenberg go to Copenhagen?”

The relationships are strong and clear, as portrayed by the excellent trio of performers. Moses, as Heisenberg, is a bundle of contradictions and mystery, managing to convey a strong presence in the midst of all the intellectual and moral debates. Baker and Watt make a convincing, united couple as the principled Bohr and determined Margrethe. All three present a believable bond, making the emotional struggle all the more convincing. There are some finer points of physics and theory that might go over some audience members’ heads (like mine, for instance), but in the hands of these first-rate performers and under Salomon’s thoughtful direction, the profundity of this confrontation is made clear even for those who might not be well-versed in the finer points of quantum. physics. 

The set, by Patrick Huber, is a strikingly abstract, slightly off-kilter base for the action, with Huber’s lighting also adding much to the overall tone of the story. There’s also strong work from sound designer Salomon, costume designer Abby Pastorello, and props designer Emma Glose in helping create a world that exists simultaneously in 1941 Copenhagen an on some ethereal plane out of time and space. 

I hadn’t seen this play before, and while I’d heard of Heisenberg and Bohr, I wasn’t particularly familiar with the incident portrayed here. What’s especially compelling about this play, though, is that it still works, even for those who aren’t really “science people”, especially as portrayed here by a trio of first-rate actors at the Gaslight Theater. There’s a lot to think about here, and St. Louis Actors’ Studio has presented about as strong a version of this story as I can imagine. It’s a remarkably compelling production.

St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Copenhagen at the Gaslight Theater until February 25, 2024

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Relationships Are in Focus In WEPG’s Engaging “Evening of One Acts”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

An Evening of One Acts
Directed by Carrie Phinney and Renee Sevier-Monsey
West End Players Guild
February 10, 2024

Jane Abling, John Reidy
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

The latest production from West End Players Guild isn’t one play, but seven. An Evening of One Acts presents a series of short plays on the broad theme of relationships, most of them of the romantic variety. It’s an intriguing, entertaining evening featuring an enthusiastic cast and fairly simple production values. Here are some brief thoughts:

“A Sunny Morning”
by Serafin & Joaquin Alvarez Quintero

The focus of this play, set in Spain, is on an older woman, Dona Laura (Jane Abling), and an older gentleman, Don Gonzalo (John Reidy) who meet by chance as Laura sits on a park bench to feed the birds, and Gonazalo looks for a place to rest as his usual bench is occupied. He reluctantly joins Laura on her bench, and the two strike up an initially bristly conversation. As they begin to talk more amicably, they both soon realize that maybe they’re not strangers, after all. This is a bittersweet story that features two memorable performances and strong chemistry, along with some fine supporting work from Lesa Bush and Kurt Knoedelseder as the respective caretakers/companions of Laura and Gonzalo.

“Post Its (Notes on a Marriage)”
by Paul Dooley & Winnie Holzman

The staging of this play is simple, as an unnamed couple (Mike DePope, Amie Bossi) sit on either side of the stage, reading a series of Post-It notes, essentially telling their story from their first date to their eventual marriage and life together. There are some fun moments here, as well as moments of poignancy, featuring understated but compelling performances.

“The Spot”
by Steven Dietz

I’m not entirely sure how this play fits with the overall “relationship” theme, since this is essentially about a political campaign commercial, and the heavy “spin” that Roger (Reidy), who is in charge of the campaign, is encouraging. The “spot” focuses on a woman, Betsy (Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn), who will be endorsing Roger’s candidate, although Roger has doubts about her appeal to voters, as he’s constantly asking his assistant Nelson (Knoedelseder) to check the poll numbers for various topics. Roger is much more impressed with Gloria (Bush), who assists one of his staff members, but who seemingly fits Roger’s “ideal”, while Betsy grows increasingly uncomfortable with Roger’s manipulations, as his staff members Chumley (DePope) and Wagner (Michael Monsey) grow more anxious. This is sharp satire that seems especially timely in an election year, with strong performances all around, although again, I don’t really see where it fits with the overall theme of the evening. 

“Left to Right”
by Steven Dietz

Another play by Dietz, this one has something of a confusing structure, as two married couples sit at a table, having a series of conversations in pairs, changing positions when a bell rings. Bossi as Angie, Bush as Dee, Reidy as Ron, and Knoedelseder as Scott are each hiding their own secrets that they are trying not to reveal to their spouses, but as the conversations continue, it’s not always clear what the characters know and what they don’t. The performers do a good job with the overall timing, but this story can be a little difficult to follow.

“Controlling Interest”
by Wayne Rawley

This play features a clever twist, as a “business meeting” turns out to be not quite what it first seems to be. Jack (Reidy), Brad (Monsey), David (DePope), and Steven (Kurt Knoedelseder) are prepare to negotiate with Ashley (Vaughn) and Bethany (Abling) concerning the serious and daunting issue of “boys liking girls”. This is a fun concept, even though it indulges in stereotypes for the sake of much of its humor. The performances and pacing are especially energetic here. 

“Surprise”
by Mark Harvey Levine

This is perhaps my favorite play of the set, with a clever premise and strong characterizations. Even though it’s not very long, DePope, as Peter–a psychic who can only see two minutes into the future–and Bossi as Whitney, his increasingly exasperated girlfriend, are convincing and exhibit excellent timing. The two are sharing a contentious date at a restaurant, as sympathetic server Esther (Vaughn) has a surprise in store for Peter. The script is well-constructed, and the performances are strong across the board.

“There Goes the Neighborhood”
by Marjorie Williamson

The final entry for the evening features a nosy woman, Eleanor (Abling) spying on her new neighbor, as her husband, Richard (Knoedelseder) humors her ramblings and assumptions. As Eleanor’s “concerns” about the hairdresser who has moved next door grow more and more elaborate and absurd, it becomes clear that a  revelation is coming about Eleanor herself, as well as Richard, which adds a new level of absurdity to Eleanor’s attitude along with a creepy twist. This is a clever concept, well played by Abling and Knoedelseder.

Technically, the staging is simple, with fine work from Sevier-Monsey on lighting and Mary Beth Winslow on sound, as well as props design by Anna Blair. It’s something of a minimalist presentation, with the focus mostly on the actors and the energetic staging. The plays range from sweet to the thought-provoking to disturbing, making for an intriguing evening of theatre.

 

Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn, Kurt Knoedelseder, John Reidy, Mike DePope, Michael Monsey, Jane Abling
Photo by Carrie Phinney
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting An Evening of One Acts at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 18, 2024

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A Thrilling, Acrobatic “Moby Dick” at the Rep

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Moby Dick
Adapted and Directed by David Catlin
From the Book by Herman Melville
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
February 9, 2024

Felipe Carrasco, Walter Owen Briggs, Kevin Aoussou, Raymond Fox, Julian Hester
Photo by Liz Lauren
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Moby Dick on stage might seem like a strange idea, considering that Herman Melville’s classic novel takes place largely at sea, and staging it as a play seems like a difficult undertaking. Now, the Rep has brought director/adapter David Catlin’s production to St. Louis, and it certainly is a theatrical marvel. With a poetic sensibility, dance-like movements, acrobatic feats, wondrous production values, and a first-rate, enthusiastic cast, this Moby Dick is a whale of a show, and a truly astounding production. 

The story should be familiar to anyone who has read the book or seen any of the many film and television adaptations. The first line is one of the most well-known in literature, and it is used here, as well, as Ishmael (Walter Owen Briggs) introduces himself to start the story, and then carries on to narrate much of it. Ishmael is looking for adventure, so he seeks to join the crew of a whaling ship in mid-19th Century New England. He soon meets harpooneer Queequeg (Kevin Aoussou), who hails from a faraway island and is unlike anyone Ishmael has ever met. The two soon form a bond, and join the crew of the Pequod, a vessel captained by the elusive (at first) Captain Ahab (Christopher Donahue), who at first seems mysterious but soon reveals his single-minded quest for revenge on the great white whale, Moby Dick, to whom Ahab had lost his leg in a previous run-in. The crew of the ship is a mixture of characters with different background and motives, but they form a cohesive unit on board, although the growing disconnect between Ahab and the rest of the crew becomes apparent as voyage goes on, and the captain finds himself unable to think of anything but the elusive white whale, to the increasing chagrin of his crew, and especially First Mate Starbuck (Felipe Carrasco). As the ship continues across the wide, unpredictable seas and Ahab’s obsession grows deeper and more insistent, despite warnings from the crew and the Fates (Maggie Kettering, Ayana Strutz, Bethany Thomas), the Pequod moves inexorably closer to that inevitable, and devastating, final confrontation.

The structure and look of this show are remarkable and refreshing, with elements of circus acrobatics, and highly physical staging as the cast and crew adjust the elements of Courtney O’Neill’s impressive, evocative set, featuring looming whale bone-like framework, a wooden plank “ship’s deck” like central platform, and lots of ropes and rigging. There’s also fantastic work from lighting designer William C. Kirkham and composer/sound designer Rick Sims in keeping with the poetic, haunting quality of the story, as well as providing thrilling effects including volatile weather conditions and the overall evocation of a sea journey. And then there’s the truly astounding costume design by Carolyn “Sully” Ratke, whose work blends detailed realism and fantasy to stunning effect. The acrobatic choreography, by Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, also contributes much to the unique look and feel of this production, as do the remarkable athletic abilities of the actors.

The cast is wonderful, led by Briggs in a convincing “audience surrogate” role as the eager Ishmael, who makes an ideal relatable narrator. Aoussou, as Queequeg, is also excellent, with a good deal of charisma and stage presence, and Carrasco is also a standout as the determined Starbuck. Donahue, as Ahab, is a force, portraying the character’s descent into the depths of single-minded obsession with increasingly menacing resolve with occasional glimmers of sympathy that emphasize the character’s humanity even in the midst some of his more heartless acts.

There are also strong supporting performances by Raymond Fox as Second Mate Stubb, Micah Figueroa as timid young sailor Cabaco, and Julian Hester as harpooneer Bulkington. Kettering, Strutz, and Thomas are also memorable as the Fates, who are a haunting presence throughout the story–pronouncing prophecies and commentary, as well as contributing strong vocals in some important musical moments. Many cast members play other parts, as well, in addition to their main roles, as there’s a lot of story to tell, and this show manages to tell everything with an impressive sense of poetic flow, and even though the running time is about three hours, there is never a dull moment.

This Moby Dick is like nothing I had seen before. I have seen shows with some similar elements, but this one is such a cohesive marvel of visceral emotion, powerful athletics, poetic structure, and evocative drama that it presents its own unique quality. It’s a thrilling show, with heart-pounding moments of sheer theatrical wonder, as well as some true dramatic intensity, telling the much-told tale with a fresh vibrance while also evoking its time and setting with credibility and detail. It’s a remarkable show, and I highly recommend taking the opportunity to see it while you can.

Kevin Aoussou, Christopher Donahue, Walter Owen Briggs
Photo by Liz Lauren
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Moby Dick until February 25, 2024

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Moonstone’s Expertly Staged “Sound Inside” is a Carefully Constructed Psychological Drama

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Sound Inside
by Adam Rapp
Directed by Gary Wayne Barker
Moonstone Theatre Company
February 8, 2024

Sharon Hunter, Ryan Lawson-Maeske
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Moonstone Theatre Company

The latest production from Moonstone Theatre Company is a compelling two-character drama that explores relationships not only between individuals, but also between writers and literature. Adam Rapp’s The Sound Inside is a somewhat twisty play that can seem predictable at times, but always seems to have surprises in store. At Moonstone, directed by Gary Wayne Barker, this play features a well-chosen cast and thoughtful staging that makes this play an intense, fascinating experience.

The way the play is constructed helps present the idea of an authors’ relationship with their work, as well as personal experiences, literary influences, and personal interactions that contribute to shaping that work. Bella Baird (Sharon Hunter) is a tenured professor at Yale who teaches creative writing, as well as being a published author herself. Bella narrates the story in the “present day”, although the sense of time is at times deliberately ambiguous. Bella is a dedicated teacher, but doesn’t seem to have any real friends.  She also has endured some major disappointments and tragedies in her family life, as well as more disappointment regarding the public and critical reception of her writings. Bella seems resigned to the routine of her life until she encounters Christopher Dunn (Ryan Lawson-Maeske), one of her students who shows up at her office without an appointment, and who appears alternately confrontational and evasive. As their interactions continue, Christopher reveals his efforts to write a novel, and Bella offers advice and encouragement, leading to a complex bond developing between teacher and student as the two reveal more about their lives and attitudes toward writing and literature. As Bella’s narrative continues, and a health crisis develops, it may seem obvious where this story is headed, but nothing is entirely as it seems here, with the playwright constructing a clever, insightful script that seems to be not only exploring the relationship between literature and its readers and writers, but also the distinction between fiction and reality.

I can’t go too much into plot details, because the discovery is such an essential part of the drama. I can say that the playwright managed to successfully keep me guessing, and that the construction of this play is both clever and engaging. The staging is also especially gripping, with excellent pacing and strong technical elements like Dunsi Dai’s evocative set and Spencer Roe-Weaver’s striking projections. There’s also impressive work from lighting designer Michael Sullivan, sound designer Amanda Werre, and costume designer Michele Friedman Siler, all contributing to the overall mood and drama of the story and characters.

The centerpiece of this production is its remarkable cast, featuring Moonstone’s artistic director Hunter in an impressively complex performance as Bella, who can be alternately relatable and difficult to figure out. Hunter does a great job of portraying Bella’s professorial side, as well as her clear love of literature, as well as her pervasive loneliness and sense of regret. She is well-matched by the equally excellent Lawson-Maeske as the likable but also difficult to decipher Christopher, who is a fascinating character in his own right, with an air of mystery that only adds to the drama. The interactions between these two are credible and form the emotional heart of this story with all its twists, turns, and explorations of life, literature, loneliness, and longing for personal connection.

The Sound Inside is a short play, running at about 90 minutes with no intermission, but there’s a lot going on in this story, including exploration of some difficult life-or-death issues and decidedly adult subject matter. Some elements seem to be deliberately left up to the audience’s interpretation, as well, and there’s a lot to think about here, including the differentiation between fiction and reality. The well-drawn characters, and compelling performances, are at the center here, making for a remarkable theatrical experience that may linger in viewers’ minds for some time. 

Sharon Hunter, Ryan Lawson-Maeske
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Moonstone Theatre Company

Moonstone Theatre Company is presenting The Sound Inside at the Robert G. Reim Theater in Kirkwood until February 25, 2024

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Visually Striking, Suspenseful “Mousetrap” Entertains at SDT

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on February 7, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
by Agatha Christie
Directed by Gary F. Bell
Stray Dog Theatre
January 31, 2024

Cast of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Agatha Christie is well-known as the queen of the “Whodunit”, and The Mousetrap is one of her most well-known works. It’s especially notable because the original production is still running in London after more than 70 years. It’s also an excellent showcase for actors, and Stray Dog Theatre has assembled an especially strong cast for their latest production, directed by Gary F. Bell and featuring some striking visuals in addition to the usual murder-mystery plot.

Taking place in the English countryside, outside of London but within a reasonably short distance, the show features a mid-20th Century setting and, as is usual for Christie, memorable characters and a good deal of intrigue. As young couple Mollie and Giles Ralston prepare to open their cavernous old house, Monkswell Manor, as a guest house, two notable events happen as they await their guests–a snowstorm and a murder. The storm helps add to the suspense as the collection of characters soon become stranded together at the house, and the news of a murder in London brings up memories of a tragic story from years before to which that crime is apparently connected. What’s more, when Detective Sergeant Trotter arrives on skis, he announces that the perpetrator is still on the loose, and there’s reason to believe that the killer has fled to Monkswell Manor, and that anyone connected to the earlier case could be in danger. Of course, the guests all have their secrets, but soon there is another murder, and the tension ramps up, as the characters race to solve the mystery before the killer can strike again.

The cast is excellent, with all playing their characters with degrees of complexity and distinctive personality. Claire Coffey and Sean Seifert display strong chemistry as Mollie and Giles, the hopeful young couple who are soon driven to suspicion of one another by the determined Sergeant Trotter, played with impressive intensity by Drew Mizell. The rest of the cast is also strong, including Jason Heil as the sensitive and excitable Christopher Wren, Julie Healey as the strict Mrs. Boyle, David Wassilak as the even-tempered Major Metcalf, Shannon Campbell as the gruff and secretive Miss Casewell, and Matt Anderson as the especially mysterious “surprise” guest Mr. Paravacini. The interplay between the characters adds much to the suspense and tension of the play, as do their wildly contrasting personalities.

The staging is well-paced and thrilling, making use of the remarkably detailed two-level set by Richard Brown and Dominic Emery and the atmospheric lighting by Tyler Duenow. There’s also excellent work from sound designer Justin Been, adding to the building tension of the story. The costumes, by Colleen Michelson, are especially memorable, as well, using a bright palette of colors and giving each character a distinctive color, reminiscent of Clue to a degree.

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap may be an oft-performed show, but Stray Dog Theatre has put its own stamp on it here, with a strong cast and just the right balance between thrilling mystery and moments of needed comic relief. It works well in the Tower Grove Abbey space, and the cast keeps up the energy to the last moment. For fans of old-fashioned murder mystery, this should be an especially appealing production.

Drew Mizell (center) and cast of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at Tower Grove Abbey until February 17, 2024

This review was originally published at kdhx.org

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Intense “Dutchman” is a Memorable Debut for Soul Siren Playhouse

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Dutchman
by Amiri Baraka
Directed by Cameron Jamarr, Eileen Engel, Bradford Lewis Rolen, and Zahria Moore
Soul Siren Playhouse
February 1, 2024

Cameron Jamarr, Eileen Engel
Photo by Zak Littrell
Soul Siren Playhouse

A new theatre company is staging an production of a celebrated 1964 play at one of St. Louis’s newest venues, and the energy on stage is palpable. Artistic director Cameron Jamarr, who also stars in the production of Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, is bringing the long-planned Soul Siren Playhouse to life at Greenfinch Theatre & Dive. With a great cast and impressive production values, the show fits into its venue well and brings a challenging story and themes to St. Louis in a compelling and memorable way.

The play is billed as something of an “Adam and Eve” story, while also embodying playwright Amiri Baraka’s political philosophies calling out white supremacy as well as challenging the non-violence of the Civil Rights Movement. Clay (Jamarr) is a young Black man, a passenger on a subway car, minding his own business until he encounters Lula (Eileen Engel), a white woman who at first appears to be something of a standard “temptress” type, trying to get Clay to bring her to the party he’s going to, and then up to her place later. It doesn’t take long, though, for Lula’s motives to become more clearly menacing, as she insists she knows Clay’s “type” and starts spouting offensive accusations and terminology, while apparently trying to simultaneously seduce Clay and belittle him. As a third passenger, a drunk man (Jeremy Thomas), appears on the train car, the adversarial “dance” between Lula and Clay continues, even though Clay gets increasingly uncomfortable until an explosive conclusion that is shocking in one sense, although there’s also the sense that it should have been expected all along. There’s not much else I can say without spoiling, but there’s a lot here to think about, and a powerful emotional impact that lingers after the show’s fairly short running time is done.

The four directors–Jamarr, Engel, Bradford Lewis Rolen, and Zahria Moore–have done an excellent job of staging a highly emotional, though-provoking work, with a lot of dynamic interaction and first-rate performances by the cast. Jamarr and Engel are at the center of the production, which also features Bryant and Donald Kidd alternating a “Young Man” who appears later in the play, and Thomas in a dual role as the drunk man and train conductor. It’s Jamarr and Engel who bring most of the drama, with terrific performances from each, and palpable adversarial chemistry along with hints of attraction, especially at first. Jamarr does a convincing job of playing the suspicious but curious Clay who is brought into the also excellent Engel’s scheming trap. Engel, for her part, is fantastic at gradually displaying the darker levels of Lula’s character. While her character is never likable, she seems less extreme at first than she eventually reveals herself to be. There’s a sort of “dance” that plays out between the two characters that is staged with remarkably effective energy and emotion.  

Visually, the show works well in the space as well as credibly portraying the somewhat grimy subway car setting, designed by Rolen. There’s also excellent work from sound and wig designer De’Janna Scales-Hand and lighting designer Lenny Banks. The “dive bar” setting at Greenfinch with its versatile and somewhat unpolished theatre space works especially well for this production, as well, with the close proximity of the audience to the actors adding something of an immersive note to the production and adding to the overall tension and dramatic experience.

There’s a lot of challenging material here, and Soul Siren Playhouse handles it about as well as I can imagine. They also provide compelling background information on a wall in the theatre that I found especially helpful in terms of context. This is a promising new company, and I look forward to seeing more shows from them in the future. 

Eileen Engel, Cameron Jamarr
Photo by Zak Littrell
Soul Siren Playhouse

Soul Siren Playhouse is presenting Dutchman at Greenfinch Theatre and Dive until February 18, 2024

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