|
||
|
Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Peer Reviews Spoon River Anthology A review by Kate Barry Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.
On Friday night, I saw As Yet Unnamed Theatre Company, or AYU for short, perform Spoon River Anthology. It was a good selection for low budgets and plenty of actors. Performed at The Mex at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Spoon River seemed to fit in nicely at a Black Box theatre. I applaud Sandy Richens-Cohrs and Gary Tipton for directing a show that so many could be a part of, and which utilized the strengths of the local community theatre. The plot of Spoon River is simple. Twenty-three scenes of fluid monologues capture the voices of a small river town, much like the Ohio Valley. These monologues range from humorous to serious and span through the years, mostly focusing on the Civil War era. Because the focus is on the voices of the people who lived in this town, sets were a bare minimum. With a simple backdrop of a colorful illustration of Spoon River upstage, each actor wanders on and off with a chair or primary prop, which helps them tell their story. Perhaps the simple movement on and off stage could've been worked on. For example, in some scenes characters simply walked offstage as though they weren't in character after their monologues were completed. As for the blocking, in some scenes it was a bit drab. In others, blocking kept the play running along. The opening scene, where the entire cast enters singing with the accompaniment of an acoustic guitar, was simply lovely. This scene is repeated at the end of the play as well. In the second act, an homage to soldiers, families and loved ones affected by the Civil War was a very well-crafted scene including singing, choreographed movement and interesting monologues. The cast of this production is huge, and the number of characters is even bigger. As a whole, the energy was up and the commitment to putting on a fine production showed through each cast member. Elaine Hackett was fun to watch as she literally transformed into different characters, one being a German woman and the other being old and tattered due to poverty. Julia Strange played an array of young women, which certainly exhibits the talent she possesses. Tim Curtsinger was entertaining as a character actor who steps into and out of each scene he was in. Neil Brewer shows much promise as a versatile actor throughout his monologues. Although some parts dragged, and some lines were flubbed by actors, AYU's production of Spoon River Anthology has a lot of heart, which translates from the script to the performance.
Spoon River Anthology March 6-14 @ 8pm Ticket Prices $15.00 For Reservations: 584-7777
Posted Mar. 9, 2009
|
|