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Peer Reviews Sonny's House of Spies Reviewed by Deborah Ward Entire contents are copyright © 2007, Deborah Ward. All rights reserved.
As a small, student theatre that is held together by "cereal bowls and sponges", as the author of Sonny's House of Spies, George Ella Lyon, penned, Walden theatre always manages a production that is larger than life. One of the more difficult aspects of Walden is the youthful ages of the actors. I sometimes struggle in attempts to figure out the ages of the characters. It is difficult to think of someone as "Grandpa" or "Momma" when they are the same age as my daughter and have a gleaming, full-of-braces smile. Screenwriter Alec Volz's interpretation of the book is perfect for young actors, and Director Katie Blackerby's casting and direction transformed these teenagers into the people of Rozier, Alabama. At the end of the play, I had to remind myself that Adam Brown, who played Uncle Marty, wasn't really the donut man at the Circle of Life donut shop. Sonny, a teenager in Rozier, Alabama, comes to age with his own naivety seven years after his dad came home late one night, meeting a cold plate of food in the face. When Sonny's mom inquires as to why he would want to throw away the full plate of life that God had given him, Sonny's dad coldly replies, "Maybe, I don't like the food." Sonny's dad had enough of holding in his deep dark secret. How did everyone but Sonny seem to know the secret? Sonny decides to do a little spying of his own. His discovery of the truth sets off sparks, literally. This is a perplexing story that will make you laugh while you question the secrets in your life.
Sonny's House of Spies, by Alec Volz Adapted from the book by George Ella Lyon March 1-10, 2007 1123 Payne Street Posted Mar. 2, 2007
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