[NEohioPAL]THE WIER, CLEVELANDER IN HART'S WAR, CPH, PREVIEWS

Sun Mar 3 18:41:02 PST 2002

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Here's an interesting collection of reviews and previews.

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</B></I></U></STRIKE></FONT SIZE></FONT SIZE></FONT SIZE></FONT SIZE></FONT SIZE><I>THE WEIR </I>SLOW MOVING AT ENSEMBLE, CLEVELANDER IN <I>HART'S WAR</I>,
PREVIEWS<I><P>
     </I>Roy Berko<BR>
<I>(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)<BR>
</I>--<BR>
Times Newspapers--<BR>
<I><BR>
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times</I><BR>
<BR>
     The Irish are known for many things.  Outstanding among them is their ability
to spin a tale.  Talking and drinking are close runner-ups.  Thus, it is no surprise that
Conor McPherson's play THE WEIR, which was the winner of two 1998 Olivier Awards
including Best New Play, takes place in a bar and concerns the telling of tales and lots of
talk and drinking.  <BR>
     The plot line centers on the arrival of a mysterious outsider to a rural area set in
traditions, where little new or exciting ever takes place.  She brings with her a search for
a new lease on life and breaks the tedium of the pub regulars.  Drinking ensues and the
barroom chat soon becomes a series of local legends and distressing tales.   
Supposedly, the play was inspired by the author's visits to the small town of Leitrim to
see her granddad.  <BR>
     When it opened in Philadelphia, on its way to becoming a Broadway hit, one
reviewer said, "<I>THE WEIR</I> does what all good stories do: effectively transports the
audience to another world that seems both far, far away and simultaneously right
around the corner from home."   <BR>
     I'm not sure what the Broadway or Philadelphia reviewer saw, but that's the not
the play being produced on the Ensemble stage.  Local viewers are exposed to a very,
very talky play, with little action, in which the stories, with one exception, lack the
intrigue to hold attention.  <BR>
     Maybe the difference between here and there were the production qualities.  But
that can't account totally  for the obvious boredom of the audience.  All of the actors on
the Ensemble stage were competent, if not spell binding.  The exception was Meg Kelly,
playing Valerie, the mysterious outsider.  She was excellent, especially while telling her
tale, the reason she needed to come to this forsaken outpost to get away from the real
world.  That's not to say that Bernard Canepari, John Kolibob, Steven Vasse-Hansell
and Charles Karali were bad.  They weren't.  Their Irish accents, thanks to Kartali's
dialect coaching were right on.  They developed clear characterizations, though they
generally failed to keep the pace fast enough, and the stories entrancing enough, to
grab the viewers.  <BR>
     In retrospect, why this script was awarded two of the prestigious Olivier Awards
continues to mystify.  No matter the production qualities, there just wasn't enough
there to make this a prize winner.<BR>
     Special attention should be paid to Ron Newell for his wonderful set and Croby
Grubb who selected appropriate Irish music to set the proper mood. <U><I><BR>
</I></U><I>     THE WEIR </I>runs through March 10 at Ensemble Theatre, located in The Civic,
3130 Mayfield Road (west entrance; just east of Lee Road) in Cleveland Heights.   For
tickets call 216-321-2930.  Their next production will be <I>I'M NOT HOME RIGHT NOW </I>, a
world-premiere play about mothers and daughters to be staged on March 15-17. 
Admission is $5.<P>
NEXT STAGE FESTIVAL AT CPH PREVIEWS <I>NIGHT BLOOMERS</I><P>
     Sarah Morton is one of Cleveland's better playwrights.  Her play <I>SAFETY</I> was
nominated for the American Theatre Critic Association's "New Play Award" and the
Osborn Award For Up And Coming Playwrights.  Her newest work-in-progress
<I>NIGHT BLOOMERS</I>, had its first-ever public reading as part of the NEXT STAGE
FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS--2002 at the Cleveland Play House.  Originally planned as a
longer play Morton, according to cast member Dorothy Silver, discarded her original
concept following the 9-11 tragedy and sculpted a one-act play in its place.  <BR>
     <I>NIGHT BLOOMERS</I> centers on a grandmother, her twenty-something grandson
and a young female playwright.  The setting is December, 2001 in the backyard of the
grandmother's house somewhere in the Southwest.   Lilia, the grandmother, has
received an exotic plant as a present from her daughter whose son Nathan is visiting his
grandmother.  In reality, Nathan, on the run from reality.  A run which always leads
him to his grandmother.  Neli, the playwright-wanna-be is also in a search...a search for
the center of her play, and probably her life.  Grandma, though wise, also escaped in
her early life to Italy, met and married her husband and has been adrift since.  The
Night Bloomer plant's existence centers on building up its energy so it can shoot forth
an occasional beautiful bloom.  In the play it acts as a metaphor for each of the
characters.<BR>
     Though not a completed work it is an interesting one-act play that evokes
questions of the purpose of life and what each person's role is in his/her existence.  One
of the major questions that the author will have to address is whether she leaves the
work as a one-act play or expands it into a full work. <BR>
     Though just a reading, CPH's cast was effective.  Headed by the wonderful
Dorothy Silver, who can make a pause and a sideways glance yell meaning, she was
ably supported by Jason Markouc and Erin Hurley.  <BR>
     For information about additional new play readings contact the Cleveland Play
House at 216-795-7000.<P>
CLEVELANDER IN HART'S WAR<P>
     Joel Sugerman, son of Ann and Marty Sugerman of University Heights, appears
as the Unnamed Soldier in <I>HART'S WAR</I> with Bruce Willis.  Sugerman, who is residing
in Prague where the film was shot, also appeared in the TV mini-series<I> JOAN OF ARC</I>.<P>
OPENINGS<P>
     <I>THE WAVERLY GALLERY</I>, a bittersweet drama, starring Ann Guilbert (Millie on
the "Dick Van Dyke Show" and Grandma Yetta in "The Nanny)" will run at the
Cleveland Play Houe from March 12 to April 7.  For tickets call 216-795-7000.<P>
     <I>THE INTERVIEW</I> by award-winning Cleveland playwright Faye Sholiton runs
from March 9-24 at the Halle Theatre, 3503 Mayfield Road, Cleveland Heights.  It
examines relationships between mothers and daughters.  For tickets call 216-382-4000.<P>
     THE HAIRY APE by Eugene O'Neill will be preformed from march 20 to April 7
at Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue.  This American classic concerns Yank,
a coal stoker on an ocean liner, who emerges from the steamy bowels of the ship to
take on society.  For information and tickets call 216-631-2727 X 501.

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