Posts Tagged ‘edward albee’

SDT’s Intense, Riveting “Woolf” Highlights Superb Acting

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
by Edward Albee
Directed by Gary F. Bell
Stray Dog Theatre
February 9, 2023

Stephen Henley, Stephen Peirick, Claire Wenzel, Mara Bollini
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Who’s afraid of an acting challenge? Apparently not Stray Dog Theatre, director Gary F. Bell, and his first rate cast in an Edward Albee classic. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is famous for its intense plot, strong characterizations, and the intensity of its performances. The roles of Martha and George, especially, have been played in various productions by a succession of acclaimed actors. Here, Bell has assembled a top-notch cast of local performers and staged a volatile, highly charged production of this portrait of troubled relationships, shattered dreams, and alcohol-fueled revelations. It may not be an easy play to watch, considering the tension and emotional fireworks, but its expertly played and a must-see for the sheer caliber of the performances. 

The basic plot, set in 1962 New England, involves middle-aged couple George (Stephen Peirick) and Martha (Mara Bollini), who have been married for over twenty years and whose relationship has become a picture of resentment, regret, and repeated exercises in mutual mocking and caustic bickering. He’s a professor at a small college, and she’s the daughter of the institution’s president. When the action begins, they’ve just returned from a party, and after some banter, Martha informs George that she has invited some guests from the party to join them for drinks–a new professor, Nick (Stephen Henley), and his wife, Honey (Claire Wenzel). Soon, the young couple arrive, and a series of emotional games ensues, challenging both relationships and resulting in a series of revealing tales and shocking discoveries. 

With its intense subject matter, not-easy-to-like characters, and over three-hour running time, this play can seem daunting to the unfamiliar. Still, even though it’s long and intense, Albee’s script is intelligent and incisive, and the roles are oft-coveted by actors. It’s a play that requires the audience to pay attention, and the script, along with the excellent performances here, make it hard to look away, even when the situations can become awkward and challenging. It also helps that this production  has set the scene so well–with a well-realized, period-appropriate set and costumes by director Bell, and excellent atmospheric lighting by Tyler Duenow and sound by Justin Been.

The centerpiece of this production, though, is its first-rate performances and thoughtful, dynamic staging. Peirick and Bollini are well-matched as the constantly sparring George and Martha. Their chemistry is strong and credible, managing even amidst the mind games to convey the sense that this difficult marriage once had its happier, more hopeful moments. These are big personalities, but neither becomes a caricature, with Bollini communicating Martha’s sharper aspects as well as an underlying sense of sadness and regret, and Peirick matching in her in energy while also showing George’s hurt and weariness. It’s a remarkable set of performances, with strong support from Henley as the initially guarded, ambitious Nick, and Wenzel, whose initially clueless Honey masks very real regrets of her own. The interplay between all four characters provides the “action” here, and its turns halting, volatile, and emotionally devastating.

There’s a lot to think about in this play, with its boldly defined characters and explorations of societal expectations in an early 1960s academic setting, as well as its look at how years of expectations and disappointments can affect a relationship. Its themes obviously still resonate today, roughly 60 years after the play first premiered, considering how often this play has been staged over the years. Here in St. Louis, audiences are fortunate to have this first-rate production to witness. It’s a remarkable staging from Stray Dog Theatre. 

Claire Wenzel, Mara Bollini
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Tower Grove Abbey until February 25, 2023

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STLAS Showcases Strong Acting in Two Celebrated One-Acts by Legendary Playwrights

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on September 23, 2021| Leave a Comment »

The Zoo Story, by Edward Albee and
The Dumb Waiter, by Harold Pinter
Directed by Wayne Salomon
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
September 18, 2021

Joel Moses, William Roth
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Edward Albee and Harold Pinter are two of the most celebrated playwrights of the of the 20th century in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. Their work is often performed and reviewed, and has influenced many great playwrights that have followed. Now at St. Louis Actors’ Studio, two of the writers’ more influential early works, both two character plays, are being featured with the same two actors in both plays. Albee’s The Zoo Story and Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter are both important plays in the history of theatre, and as shown at STLAS, they are both still powerful, thought-provoking works that serve as excellent showcases for actors. 

Presenting these plays in this manner makes for an excellent way to challenge the actors in their versatility, as William Roth and Joel Moses each play contrasting roles in the two different plays. In The Zoo Story, Roth is Peter, a mild-mannered family man who is enjoying a quiet afternoon reading on a bench in Central Park, when he is suddenly approached by Jerry (Moses), a much more confrontational character who does most of the talking, as he announces he has been to the zoo and then takes a roundabout way of telling the story of why, revealing much about his character and background in the process, as he openly challenges Peter’s more “status quo” lifestyle. Here, Jerry is essentially in control for most of the proceedings, and the play is a challenge for both actors in different ways, as Jerry is very active and loud, while Peter doesn’t speak through much of the story, and Roth is forced to sit there and react to this increasingly uncomfortable invasion of his personal space. Both actors do an excellent job here, with Moses bringing much emotion and humanity to the confrontational Jerry, and Roth giving something of a master class in “reaction acting”, as both characters display a strong sense of increasingly combative chemistry. It’s a challenging play–not out of the ordinary for modern audiences, but especially controversial in its day, as director Wayne Salomon points out in his note in the program. 

The director’s comment also applies to Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter, which is from the same era as The Zoo Story, but has a British setting, and this time the two actors take markedly different roles, as two hit men who are waiting in a windowless basement room for a call about their next assignment. Here, Moses plays Gus, the younger, more reticent hit man, while Roth is the more commanding “senior partner”, Ben. Like The Zoo Story, this play also focuses primarily on the relationship between two characters, with one seeming to be more in control than the other. Here, though, the location is also a “character”, in a way, as the titular dumbwaiter seems to have a mind of its own, serving as the instrument for communication (along with a snake-like “speaking tube”) between the main characters and some unseen “others” who keep sending food orders like they are in a restaurant. The dumbwaiter is also prone to opening and–startlingly–slamming shut at unannounced moments, providing a strong source of tension in the play. The performances here are first-rate, as well, with Moses impressive as the more naive, nervous Gus and Roth excellent as the gruff, more businesslike Ben, who is in for some surprises of his own as the play leads to a somewhat surprising, abrupt end.

To echo Salomon’s comments in the director’s note, neither of these plays should be unusually “shocking” for a modern audience, as this sort of grittiness has become much more commonplace in theatre. Still, the sense of character and storytelling is sharp in both, and each is memorable and thought-provoking in its own right. The productions here are well-paced and dynamic, with a strong sense of ensemble chemistry between the two actors, and good technical elements, as well, including especially impressive work from set designer Patrick Huber in producing two very different settings for the plays–as backdrops and a bench provide the park setting for The Zoo Story, and these later give way to the stark, grimy basement setting of The Dumb Waiter. Huber’s lighting design is also effective, as  are Teresa Doggett’s meticulous costumes. 

It’s intriguing to see these two one act plays by different, important playwrights presented this way. Using the same actors in both plays allows both to show more of their range, and allowing the audience to see both plays together allows for comparing and contrasting and getting a direct display of the early foundations of modern theatre. These are plays you may have heard about, or read, or seen in separate productions, but here STLAS is providing an ideal opportunity to see them together. It’s an impressive return to the stage for this local company.

 

Joel Moses, William Roth
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting The Zoo Story and The Dumb Waiter at the Gaslight Theater until October 3, 2021

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“Three Tall Women” Tell Compelling Tales in Stray Dog Theatre’s Well-Cast Production

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Three Tall Women
by Edward Albee
Directed by Gary F. Bell
Stray Dog Theatre
February 8, 2020

Angela Bubash, Donna M. Parrone, Jan Meyer
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre’s production isn’t the first production of Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women that I have seen in St. Louis. In fact, the last staging I saw, a few years ago, featured one of the same performers as this one. Still, SDT’s staging is compelling on its own merits, with a strong cast and excellent production values, as the three women of the play’s title share their stories and reflect on their lives.

This is almost like two plays in one, as the situation in Act 1 is more straightforward while Act 2 becomes more fantastical, with three performers playing the same character at different ages. In the first act, they are three distinct characters–A (Jan Meyer), an elderly and wealthy woman who is declining in health; B (Donna M. Parrone), who is the home caregiver for A; and C (Angela Bubash), who is here representing A’s lawyer to see about some unpaid bills. There are subjects brought up in this first act that repeat with even more relevance in the second act, in which all three characters are different versions of A. The age difference between the characters is emphasized in their differing perspectives in the first act, while in the second, A and B essentially “educate” C about what is to happen in “their” life, while the still idealistic C isn’t quite ready to hear what her life will become.There’s also the character of A’s son, only referred to in the program as “The Boy” (Stephen Henley), who appears in the middle of Act 2 but doesn’t speak, and the indication is that their relationship was strained. It’s a fascinating play, based largely on Albee’s own mother and his relationship with her. There’s a lot of insight here about aging and regret, as well as some cynicism about relationships, both romantic and familial.

It’s a talky play, but the characters (and Albee) have a lot to say, and the performances here give weight and energy to the playwright’s words. Meyer, who I have seen in this role before, is a commanding presence as A, and the center of the story from her very first line in Act 1. Meyer is excellent at showing the contrast between the forgetful, declining A in Act 1 to the world-weary, more assured A in Act 2. Parrone is also strong as B, who is a caring support in Act 1 and as the middle-aged A in Act 2, brings out an interesting combination of confidence and cynicism. As C, Bubash also excels, especially in Act 2 where she is given more to do as the optimistic young A whose trials and tribulations are still largely ahead of her. She brings a youthful energy and determination to the role that contrasts well with her older counterparts, and all three performers play off of each other well. Also Henley, in his unspoken role, provides a good focal point for his mother’s (all three versions of her) reflections.

The look of this production is striking and cohesive. Miles Bledsoe’s set is an elegant representation of a wealthy woman’s well-appointed bedroom. Gary F. Bell’s costumes are also excellent, suiting the characters well in Act 1 and coordinating in shades of purple in the second act. There’s also strong work from lighting designer Tyler Duenow in maintaining the mood of the show, and Stray Dog’s venue, Tower Grove Abbey, is an ideal location for the somewhat intimate setting of this piece.

Three Tall Women is a compelling staging of an intriguing work by one of America’s most celebrated playwrights. I appreciate being able to see it again in such a thoughtful, engaging production. It’s a worthwhile theatrical experience from Stray Dog Theatre.

Angela Bubash, Jan Meyer, Donna M. Parrone
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting Three Tall Women at Tower Grove Abbey until February 22, 2020

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STLAS’s Excellent “Three Tall Women” is a Superb Tribute to the Playwright

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on September 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Three Tall Women
by Edward Albee
Directed by Wayne Salomon
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
September 23, 2016

Sophia Brown, Jan Meyer, Amy Loui Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors' Studio

Sophia Brown, Jan Meyer, Amy Loui
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Edward Albee is unquestionably one of the greatest playwrights of the last 100 years. That St. Louis Actors’ Studio opened its long-planned production of Albee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Three Tall Women one week after the playwright’s death was a coincidence. Still, such an excellent, superbly cast production of this intensely personal play couldn’t be a more fitting tribute to this celebrated artist.

Three Tall Women is the title of this play that takes much of its inspiration from Albee’s own life, and especially that of his mother, and despite the title it’s essentially about one woman. The three women of title are only identified as A (Jan Meyer), B (Amy Loui), and C (Sophia Brown), although the central figure is A. The construction of this play is difficult to describe without some degree of spoiling, so let that be a warning. Essentially, this is an examination of one woman’s life at different ages, looking back in retrospective in the first act as elderly A is cared for by her middle-aged caretaker B, and visited by C, a young representative from her lawyer who has trouble dealing with A’s difficult personality. This is all somewhat straightforward until Act 2, when everything changes dramatically and the play suddenly enters the realm of fantasy and A, B, and C all become representatives of the same woman at different ages, all looking at life from their limited perspectives and informing one another of what happens in “their” life. There’s also the somewhat shadowy figure of “The Boy” (Michael Perkins), who appears onstage but doesn’t say anything, although A, B, and C comment on his presence and his relationship to “them”, his elderly mother.  It’s a very talky, philosophical play that delves deeply into the motivations of this woman and her relationships with her son and with her late husband, as well as looking at the different generations of women and how they relate to one another and how they reconcile their own life decisions within themselves.

The casting here is excellent. Meyer, as A, is able to project a simultaneous sense of stubbornness and vulnerability. A is not a particularly likable character, but Meyer embodies her humanity. Loui, as B, portrays the patient caretaker in Act 1 and the middle-aged version of A in Act 2 with assured strength, as well, and Brown plays the suspicious C in Act 1 and the cautiously optimistic C (young A) in Act 2 with convincing conviction. The interplay between these three characters is the essence of the play, from the literal generation gap in Act 1 to the more figurative one in Act 2, and it’s fascinating to watch these three top-notch performers as they spar and confide and conceal and reveal. Perkins is fine as The Boy, doing the somewhat daunting job of sitting there on stage as a focal point for the discussion that his character isn’t really able to hear. The key to the play, though, is the performances of Meyer, Loui, and Brown, and they are all entirely convincing.

Patrick Huber’s static set is meticulously appointed, suggesting the upper class New York apartment of the wealthy, aging central character. Carla Landis Evans’s costumes are ideally appropriate, as well, from the accurate early 1990’s attire of Act 1 to the differently colored and styled glamorous evening gowns of Act 2. There’s also strong atmospheric lighting by Huber and clear sound by director Wayne Salomon. The fantastical aspects of the play are more achieved by the overall staging and tone than by any special effects, however. The excellent technical aspects simply provide the setting for Albee’s well-crafted words, Salomon’s lucid staging, and the first-rate performances of the leads.

Albee’s look at aging, marriage, and family relationships is crisp and cynical, although there is a glimpse of some kind of positive message toward the end. Ultimately, this is a character study, and a richly drawn one at that. The unusual construction only serves to further illuminate Albee’s difficult, complex central character, who is apparently based on his own mother. At STLAS, the play has been impeccably cast and staged. It’s an ideal tribute to a legendary American playwright.

Amy Loui, Jan Meyer, Sophia Brown Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors' Studio

Amy Loui, Jan Meyer, Sophia Brown
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Three Tall Women is being presented by St. Louis Actors’ Studio at the Gaslight Theatre until October 9, 2016.

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STLAS Presents an Intense, Must-See “Woolf”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
by Edward Albee
Directed by John Contini
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
February 20, 2015

Betsy Bowman, William Roth, Michael Amoroso, Kari Ely Photo by John Lamb St. Louis Actors' Studio

Betsy Bowman, William Roth, Michael Amoroso, Kari Ely
Photo by John Lamb
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is an American theatre classic that I had never actually seen on stage before. I have to admit now that I’m feeling much more like a theatre geek than a critic writing this review, because ever since I heard that St. Louis Actors’ Studio, one of St. Louis’s better small theatre companies, was going to be producing this show, I’ve been looking forward to seeing it. I didn’t get to see it opening weekend because I was out of town, although when I finally did get over to the Gaslight Theatre to catch this production, I discovered it was well worth the anticipation.  With strong, dynamic staging and a top-notch cast of veteran St. Louis performers, this is a production worthy of the play’s illustrious reputation.

This is a brutal play to watch, no question.  It delves into the lives and emotions of its four characters with deft precision, baring all the raw emotions and challenging the preconceived notions and perceptions of its characters.  Set in a university town, professor George (William Roth) and his brassy wife, the university president’s daughter Martha (Kari Ely), start out with seemingly good-natured bickering as they discuss a party they attended earlier that evening. Eventually, Martha announces that guests will soon be arriving–a new young professor, Nick (Michael Amoroso) and his wife, Honey (Betsy Bowman).  When the younger couple eventually arrives, the evening starts with a semblance of politeness but then gradually descends into chaos, madness and despair as George and Martha take turns challenging and berating their guests and one another, and ultimately deeply held secrets are revealed and the characters’ motives and natures are explored.

This play explores the emotions and lives of its characters with precision. There’s a lot of sharp, biting comedy as well as gut-wrenching drama. This is a well-known, oft-performed play for a reason. It deals with universal issues of hope, failure, expectations and regrets, and it provides an ideal opportunity for actors to explore a full range of emotion. As staged at STLAS by director John Contini with dynamic energy and palpable tension, the whole proceeding is riveting, as emotions are laid bare and confrontations ebb and flow, leading to a devastatingly honest and powerful conclusion.

The cast is simply surperb. Ely gives a master class as Martha, with a fully committed, raw and deeply affecting performance that’s alternately brash, flirtatious, histrionic and defeated.  Roth matches her moment by moment as the seemingly mild-mannered George, who can be both self-deprecating and surprisingly cruel.  Amoroso is strong as the occasionally cocky, occasionally self-doubting Nick, and Bowman, in a difficult role as the outwardly ditzy Honey, infuses her portrayal with an underlying deep sadness that is thoroughly compelling. There’s spark, danger and energy in the chemistry between these performers, and particularly Roth and Ely as a couple who challenge one another out of deep-seated pain and regret, although the ghost of affection is still there as well.

Patrick Huber has designed an excellent set for the small STLAS space–a detailed representation of a cluttered, careworn professor’s home. The muted colors of the set suggest the serious and sometimes dreary tone of the play. The 1960’s setting is well-reflected in Teresa Doggett’s costumes, and Huber’s lighting is intense and effective as well.

This is one of those plays that is basically required viewing for serious theatre fans, and I’m very glad that my first experience seeing this play live was through this outstanding production. So far, the theatre season in St. Louis has been relatively strong, and I’ve seen some very good plays.  This production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? however, is about the closest to a flawless production as I’ve seen all year.  It’s a truly remarkable piece of theatre, and there’s only one weekend left to see it.  I highly advise not missing this first-rate production from St. Louis Actors’ Studio.

Kari Ely, William Roth Photo by John Lamb St. Louis Actors' Studio

Kari Ely, William Roth
Photo by John Lamb
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

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