- BARRIE: BACK TO BACK
- Pacific Resident Theatre
- Reviewed by Carol Kaufman Segal
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Once again, Pacific Resident
Theatre and Artistic Director Marilyn Fox brings unique and rarely
produced plays to the theater. The second show of their 25th season
features an evening of two plays written by J.M. Barrie, principally known
for his play, Peter Pan, or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, written in
1904. The two plays, written within four years of each other, and
definitely quite different from one another, still bare some universal
theme. |
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- The first play, Rosalind, directed by Dana
Dewes, features Lesley Fera as Mrs. Page. We find her in the parlour
of a charming cottage by the sea - far from London (beautiful set
design by Nick Santiago). She has come there to relax from her
rigorous life in London, and her thoughts of being middle-age, when
her stay is interrupted by a young man, Charles Roche (Kevin Railsback).
Roche has been on a walking tour and is seeking a brief moment of
shelter from the rain. Coincidence has it that Roche knows of Mrs.
Page's daughter, a beautiful successful stage star, with whom he
fancies himself in love. But as the story progresses, the dialogue
between the two characters touches on passions, age, and what is real
and what is not. It also features, alternately, Sarah Zinsser and Ann
Bronston performing the role of Dame Quickly.
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- The second play, The Old Lady Shows Her
Medals, is a more touching story that takes place in London during
World War I, directed by Marilyn Fox and Dana Dewes. Mrs. Dowey (Penny
Safranek) and her char women friends, Mrs. Twymley (Roses Prichard),
Mrs. Mickleham (Sara Zinsser), amd The Haggerty Woman (Jennifer
Lonsway), are chatting away in Mrs. Dowey's basement home. Mrs. Dowey
is reminiscing about the letters she receives from her son in the
service, when Mr. Willings (William Lithgow) arrives to tell her that
her son is here on a short furlough and is coming to see her. She
appears a bit excited, but nervous as her friends leave.
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When Kenneth Dowey (Joe McGovern)
arrives, the reason for her actions are apparent when it is revealed that
Mrs. Dowey has no son. But the dialogue between these two lonely people
(McGovern with a perfect Scottish brogue), and the outcome, present a warm
and tender message. (The set change is by Nick Santiago.)
As quoted from Marilyn Fox, "J.M.
Barrie's timeless explorations of age, love, longing and the search for
the "impossible possibility" are unusually provocative," and these two
plays are reminiscent of just that and beautifully dramatized by a gifted
cast. |
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| Barrie: Back To Back
Plays Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 3 PM, through
August 7, 2011, at the Pacific Resident Theatre, located at 703 Venice
Blvd., Venice, CA. Tickets can be purchased online at
www.PacificResidentTheatre.com,
or by calling (310) 822-8392.
Comments? Write to us at:
Letters@ReviewPlays.Com |
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