[NEohioPAL]BERKO REVIEWS: CHOSEN, TARTUFFE, BODY OUTLAW

[Roy Berko]

LOTS OF LOCAL THEATRE: ‘THE CHOSEN’, ‘TARTUFFE,’ ‘THE
BODY OUTLAW’ 

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	


‘THE CHOSEN’ WELL-DONE AND THOUGHT PROVOKING


When on July 23, 2002 Chaim Potok died, the English
speaking world lost one of the few voices who has been
able to paint a picture of Hasidic life in America. 
Hasidics are ultra-Orthodox Jews whose belief in a
divine God who must be listened to and adored have
been unwavering in their convictions for many
generations.  They still adhere to the dress codes of
ancient times and spend their days and nights in
religious study.  It is this world that Potok
illuminates.  He does it from authority.  As he once
said, "I grew up. . .in a Hasidic world." His world,
however, was not the religious extreme.  He,
therefore, is capable of looking at the movement
through clear eyes.

Potok started writing fiction at the age of 16.  With
the publication of his novel ‘THE CHOSEN’ in 1967,
Potok entered the American literary scene and he grew
in stature with eight subsequent publications.  

The play version of "THE CHOSEN’ is now being staged
at the Halle Theatre of the Jewish Community Center. 
With dramatic force, it tells of the powerful bonds of
love and pain that join fathers and sons and how that
love differs, yet is the same in divergent settings.

It’s the 1940's in the Williamsburg neighborhood of
Brooklyn. Two boys who have grown up within a few
blocks of each other, but in two entirely different
worlds, meet for the first time in a bizarre and
explosive encounter--a baseball game between two
Jewish parochial schools that turns into a holy war. 
The assailant is Danny Saunders- moody and brilliant. 
He is driven by his pent-up torment.  He feels
imprisoned by the tradition that destines him to
succeed his awesome father in an unbroken line of
great Hasidic rabbis.   The victim of Danny's rage is
Reuven Malther, the gentle son of a gentle scholar. 
He is one of the less-Orthodox Jews whom the Hasids
regard as little better than infidels.   Their lives
become entwined and we are carried into an
investigation of what it really means to love a son
and finally fulfill the obligation of letting him go
into the world he wants and needs. 

Director Dorothy Silver has crafted an engrossing
evening of theatre.  She has molded a cast, most of
whom had no understanding of the religious
implications and philosophical concepts of Hasidism,
into a body that allows audience member, Jews and
non-Jews alike, to understand the universal themes of
the script.  

Sean Szaller is outstanding as the Young Reuven
Malter.  He totally grasps the slightest nuances of
the character.   Doug Rossi, develops a believable
Danny, but one must wonder why an American-born young
man would be speaking with an accent.  An accent which
is not well sustained.  Larry Nehring, as the adult
Reuven, acts as the show’s narrator with ease.  He
seamlessly weaves in and out of scenes and is the
audience’s eyes and ears.  One of Cleveland’s acting
treasurers, Reuben Silver, is texture-perfect as Reb
Saunders.  The character alternately frustrates in his
rigidness and surprises with his insights.  This is a
fine, fine performance.  Michael Regnier, as Reuven’s
father illustrates the rational, caring man who
understands his limitations yet is driven by his
intellectual passions.

Larry Gorjup has designed an impressive evening of
sound.  Consisting of 1940s radio broadcasts and the
appropriate music, the audio transports the audience
into the proper mood and illuminates the era
perfectly.  The postage stamp-sized stage is always a
challenge to scenic designers.  Tony Kovacic has done
a wonderful job of using the limited space.  Alison
Hernan’s costumes are period and religiously correct.

Chose to see ‘THE CHOSEN!’   The show runs through
March 30.  For tickets call 216 382-4000 extension
274.


	TARTUFFE ENTERTAINS AUDIENCE, BUT...

Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) was born in Paris on
January 15, 1622.  As a young boy, he learned that he
could cause quite a stir by mimicking his mother's
priest. This laid the path for his use of satire and
his development into an actor.  As a playwright he was
a favorite of the French court in spite of his making
fun of all that surrounded him.  He died, as he had
lived, a man of contradictions.  On February 17, 1673,
he suffered a hemorrhage while on stage.  He passed
away later that night.  The local priests refused to
take his confession, for actors had no social standing
and had been excommunicated by the church. Nor would
they permit him to be buried in holy ground. Four days
later, the King interceded and Molière was finally
buried in the Cemetery Saint Joseph under the cover of
darkness.

Molière is considered to be one of France’s greatest
writers and laid the foundation for what we now call
satire or farce.   His plays, which are still
frequently done today,  include ‘THE MISANTHROPE,’
‘THE DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF’ and ‘THE IMAGINARY
INVALID.’

"Tartuffe’ relates the story of an attempt by a
con-man, to destroy the domestic happiness of the
wealthy, but naive, Orgon and his family.    The plot
is full of improbable twists and turns which
illustrate manipulation, and the plight of young love.
 Of course, in the end, good wins out over evil and
the audience has had a good laugh and has supposedly
learned some valuable lessons.

Farce has been defined as"a style of writing that
centers on improbable situations," "the persons and
action of a farce are all unnatural, and the manners
false."  Farce is hard to perform because it must be
so serious in its presentation that the ridiculousness
comes out.  Many directors and actors fail to
understand that the power of the word is the power of
farce.  They, instead, contrive to make what is
written to be funny, humorous through devices.   The
result is a very entertaining evening of theatre, but
loses the lessons of the writer.   This is the case
with Actors’ Summitt’s TARTUFFE.

Director Neil Thackaberry has been given a wonderful
translation of the French script by local actor and
writer Wayne S. Turney.  Turney has lost none of the
satire and style as he tightened what is an overly
long original theatrical piece.  He has also
maintained the wonderful rhyme and cadence of the
language.  Thackaberry has taken the script and staged
it in its most slapstick and broadest form.  Lots of
double-takes, over exaggerations in speech and
gestures pour-forth.  As evidenced by the audience’s
response, they loved the interpretation.  

Only Joe Gunderman, as Orgon’s brother-in-law plays
his role tongue in cheek.  Theatre traditionalists
will love his interpretation.  Tom Fulton, as
Tartuffe, pulls out all the stops.  He mugs, he
prances, he feigns, in the best comedy sense. 
Thackaberry, who not only directs but plays Orgon,
yells and mugs his way through the roll.  Again, with
positive reaction from the assemblage.  Mary Jane
Nottage plays Orgon’s ditsy mother to the hilt.

TARTUFFE plays through March 23 at Actors’ Summit’s
wonderfully intimate theatre in-the-three-quarter
round.  For tickets call 330-34200800 or visit on-line
to actorssummit.org.

	‘THE BODY OUTLAWS’ INVESTIGATED BY RED HEN

Theatres are founded for various reasons.  The mission
of RED HEN is to give a voice to feminist writers and
feminist themes.  You do not go to one of their
performances to see or hear a neutral view of the
world.   Their staging of ‘BODY OUTLAWS’ won’t
disappoint their loyal following.

The staged reading is based on Ophira Edut’s
collection of essays in which women discuss their
bodies and the cultural views of women’s shapes and
forms.  It exposes advertisers, toy manufacturers and
various others who shape societal attitudes of what
women should look like and be.  Segments include "The
Butt: Its Politics, Its Profanity, Its Power," "The
Skinny on Small," "Klaus Barbie, and Other Dolls I’d
Like to See," and "Memories of a (Sorta) Ex-Shaver." 

The staging and performances were generally fine. 
Rose Leininger’s "Sizing Myself Up: Tales of a
Plus-Size Model," the last piece of the evening, was
outstanding.  She is a fine actress and this selection
is highly emotionally involving.

The evening is long!  Ten pieces at ten to 15 minutes
proved to be too much.  Especially long when the seats
are stiff and unpadded and the performance space very,
very cold.   

"BODY OUTLAWS" runs at 8 PM on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays through March 29 at Spaces Art Gallery, 2220
Superior Viaduct, Ohio City in Cleveland 
Tickets, which are $ 12 or adults and $8 for students
& seniors are available at 


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