THE MARIN FRINGE FESTIVAL more grist for the mill
THE FRINGE OF MARIN
Reviewed by Jeffrey R Smith of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
The Dominican University Drama Department is currently presenting a Fringe Festival.
It is the Fringe of Marin and it is an opportunity to enjoy six plays for the price of one.
The shows are performed in two alternating cycles.
Each cycle is independent of the other—the truth is, you should catch both.
Whether you see one or both, you are certain to find something you enjoy.
Artistic director DR Annette Lust has wisely stacked the deck for this season’s offerings.
Strutting her best stuff first, one cycle begins with WINTER MEETING.
As Gene Hackman says in GET SHORTY “It’s a grabber.”
Immediately the audience senses much of the story is remaining purposely unsaid.
Furthermore, there is an auguring that what is unsaid will prove most important.
The playwright baits the hook and the cast reels in a captivated audience.
Structurally the show is great; yet the superb acting deserves much of the credit.
While the plot line may be a little transparent at the onset, that peek is the teaser.
A small town girl, Jennifer, does nothing heroic after getting pregnant as a teenager.
She allows the petty morality of her town and family to completely overrun her life.
In a Greek Drama her lack of heroics would have had stronger consequences.
The point is that by not taking arms against a sea of unruly forces, stuff happens still.
BAD COFFEE is a very funny concept.
Cindy Brillhart-True shows real subtlety in her acting.
In this cycle, MS True deserves the Oscar.
MS True acts with transparency: the audience understands what her character is thinking.
A rare commodity on any stage let alone amateur fringe productions.
To her credit MS Brillhart-True will not be dinged for over animating in this piece.
She clearly understands that nuance can pack a big wallop and bellow the message.
The audience knows information is registering internally without the histrionics.
The news of a husband’s poisoning elicits no conspicuous outward reactions in the wife.
As Sherlock Holmes said, “The dog did nothing unusual the night of the murder: now that’s unusual!”
The lack of an overt reaction creates a mystery: perhaps the wife is glad about the poison.
MS Brillhart-True conceals her reaction too when the poisoned husband arrives for lunch.
Again, more mystery is created.
Is she disappointed or relieved that the husband is still ambulatory?
Does she love her husband or does see him as a cash cow?
This play, MS True and real life prod the audience to speculate.
FINALE as a good one-act, but could have been better as a full-length play.
There was so much compressed into this one-act.
It could be a trailer.
A pair of actors: Julie and Kevin, performing Othello have an affair.
Another pairing of actors Ben and Julie have a winning chemistry on stage.
That chemistry ends when Ben has an affair with bimbo Nancy.
Bimbo Nancy has an epiphany on stage: she realizes she cannot act.
News arrives that Julie has had a collision, on the highway, naturally with a big rig.
Kevin and Ben are stunned by the news of Julie’s wreck.
Is this a one-act play or a plot synopsis of a two-month chunk of soap opera?
This skit successfully bridges the chasm between the hokey and the melodramatic.
DON’T JUST LIE THERE has a nice feel: a bit of eschatology.
Its an upbeat piece on death, with a happy, after death, ending.
Imbedded in the piece are some good lessons for the living.
For example: Don’t wait until you are dead to communicate with your spouse.
In the absence of unequivocal proof of an after-life, it could be too late.
BEBUT has excellent acting although the script should be a work in progress.
Susan Donnelly does a fine job depicting the wide assortment of emotions required.
The flow of the action is not smooth enough to promote a clear understanding.
Let's just call it a mystery and enjoy it as such.
STREETSINGER is a great piece of work.
It is a very good depiction of the dog-eat-dog street life in Amsterdam.
The script needs to better explain Dutchie’s changed reaction to Dragonchaser.
Why does Dutchie come back and become so friendly with Dragonchaser?
Her changed attitude toward him is not clearly accounted for.
Does she know he has money in his pocket?
Very nice vocal work by Cynthia Thompson-Smith make this show a must.
I HATE HAMLET
Reviewed by Jeffrey R Smith of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
Currently, the award winning, Ross Valley Players are staging the hilarious, quasi-erudite, comedy: I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick. The play is the satirical confluence of three elements: American celebrity history focusing on the life and times of the dissolute, stage and screen actor John Barrymore; a romantic comedy involving a 29-year-old virgin (a woman this time) and her soap opera boy friend; and of course a smidgen of Shakespeare to give the play a touch of redemptive class.
Norman Hall is clearly at the apex of the comedic triad that keeps the audience laughing from curtain rise until curtain fall. MR Hall plays the ghost of John Barrymore; haunting his former apartment that has fallen into the hands of an “in between jobs” television actor who has been cast as Hamlet: the role Barrymore was most proud of. MR Hall very successfully diffuses himself into the complexities of his character: rake, alcoholic, arrogant actor and most importantly: mentor.
David Shirk plays Andrew Rally: the insecure, skitterish, reluctant actor who has been cast as Hamlet and is now agonizing with doubts, rapt with trepidations and stymied by second thoughts. MR Shirk brings lots of comic animation to his character.
Mistyann Lotterie is spectacular as the exuberant, earnest girl friend, Deirdre McDavey, who encourages her on again off again Hamlet to take his first bold step onto the Shakespearean stage. After he stakes his first bold step, she too takes a first bold step but you will have to see the play to get the details.
Matthew Boucher is well cast as the Hollywood television producer Gary Peter Lefkowitz who tries to lure the reluctant Hamlet actor back to his comfort zone within the banality of prime time television. Whether the role of MR Boucher is more accurately described as a stereotype or a satire is purely conjectural. It is difficult to parody anything from under the Hollywood cultural umbrella given it is already a parody of itself.
This play is highly recommended if you enjoy quality theater and you are looking for a delightful evening of wholesome comedy. Affordable tickets can be reserved by calling the Ross Valley Player box office at 415 456-9555 or going the their website at www.rossvalleyplayers.com.