[NEohioPAL]Berko Reviews: Arms & the Man (GLTF), In the Blood (Dobama)

[Roy Berko]

‘ARMS AND THE MAN’ MARCHES TO VICTORY, ‘IN THE BLOOD’
AWESOME AT DOBAMA

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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


‘ARMS AND THE MAN MARCHES TO VICTORY’


"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is
superior to all others because you were born in it."
"Oh, war!  war!  the dream of patriots and heroes!  A
fraud...a hollow sham..."What do these lines have in
common?   Of course they are speeches, recently spoken
at pro and anti-war rallies.   If that’s what you
thought, you’re wrong.  They were written in 1894 by
George Bernard Shaw for his play, ‘ARMS AND THE MAN." 
Like much of Shaw, his ideas are as relevant today as
they were when he penned them.   
 
‘ARMS AND THE MAN’ is one of Shaw's earliest and most
popular plays.  He took the title from the opening
line of Virgil's epic poem the "Aeneid," which begins
"Of arms and the man I sing."  Virgil glorified war. 
Shaw, on the other hand, uses the play to attack the
romantic notion of war by presenting a depiction of
war, devoid of the idea that death and destruction are
noble.  It is not an anti-war statement, but rather a
satirical assault on those who glorify war.
	
The setting of the play is in war-torn Bulgaria.  The
story focuses not only on the romance between the
young people of the play, but the atrocities that go
on during war times and the ability of people to
ignore the horrors completely.   Written just a few
years before World War I, Shaw's play turned out to be
sadly prophetic.  When war was declared, young men
flooded to sign up, carrying with them the wholly
romantic but inaccurate ideas of the glory of combat.

The secondary theme of the play is love and marriage. 
Shaw, in his usual satirical way states, "When two
people are under the influence of the most violent,
most insane, more delusive, and most transient of
passions, they are required to swear that they will
remain in the excited, abnormal, and exhausting
condition continuously under death do them part."  

As one theatre expert stated about the play, "The
success of  ‘ARMS AND THE MAN’ has been consistent
right from its first production.  The original staging
of the play was so well received that Shaw's
reputation as one of the greatest wits in the London
drama scene was almost instantly established."  The
Great Lakes Theatre production, under the creative and
able hand of Artistic Director Charles Fee, will do
little to harm Shaw’s reputation.  This is a
well-designed, expertly-acted, thoroughly enjoyable
and edifying evening of theatre.  

The cast, which consists of both local and imported
actors, gives highly professional performances.  
Dudley Swetland is perfectly stuffy as the Major. 
Carole Healey is wonderful as the flighty wife.  Sara
Bruner is adorable and charming as their love struck
daughter.  David Anthony Smith is right on target as
the self-loving philandering Major.  Ashley Smith,
with his matinee idol good looks, makes the perfect
Chocolate Soldier.  Laura Perrotta creates a
delightful tart with a mind of her own as the maid. 
Tom Ford makes buttling fun.

Although the script is now more than a hundred years
old, its themes of love and war are as valid as ever.
Its comedy is still fresh and entertaining and its
story of love and romance appeals to all.

Congratulations to Charles Fee for teaching us what
quality level professional theatre in Cleveland can
be.   He is a much welcome addition to the local
performance scene.  Hopefully, he will be with us a
long, long time and continue in his already successful
quest to make GLTF the cream of local professional
theatres.

GLTF’s next production is William Shakespeare’s A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.  It will be performed from
April 30-May 11 and will be directed by Charles Fee. 
Get $5 off each ticket by mentioning discount code BF
when you contact the box office at 216-241 6000 or
800-766-6048.

‘IN THE BLOOD’ AWESOME AT DOBAMA

Every once in a while theatre-goers have the
experience of knowing they have experienced greatness.
 This has to be the case of anyone who has attended a
performance of ‘IN THE BLOOD" at Dobama Theatre.

The average theatre attender has probably never heard
the name Suzan-Lori Parks.  It does not flow out of
the memory bank like Lorraine Hansberry, considered to
be America’s best Black woman playwright.   But
Suzan-Lori Parks is a playwright to be reckoned with. 
 The New York Times named her as "1989’s most
promising playwright." She has won the MacArthur
Award, was the first African-American woman to win a
Pulitzer Prize for Drama, has been awarded two Obies
(best off-Broadway play awards), and was a Pulitzer
Prize nominee for ‘IN THE BLOOD’.

Parks’ writes plays that dissect the black experience
in collision with a white-dominated society.   Parks's
plays have been hailed for their creative mix of
fantasy, myth, and history, expressed in language that
captures the sounds heard on the inner-city streets
and in the rural backwaters of America.  All of these
qualities are present in the brilliantly written ‘IN
THE BLOOD’ getting its Ohio Premiere at Dobama.  

‘IN THE BLOOD’ uses Hawthorne's classic "A Scarlet
Letter" as a stepping-stone for the tale of Hester La
Negrita, a black woman with five children from various
fathers.   We experience Hester’s fears, frustrations,
and elation as she confronts sterilization, hunger,
living under a bridge, rejection, dejection, and
falling through the cracks of the welfare system.  
This is unsettling stuff.

Director Sonya Robbins leaves no emotional leaf
unturned in her staging.  The scenes are riveting. 
The performances are honed to a high-level.  Even the
technical qualities are first rate.  Bill Ransom’s
original music sets the emotional tone.  Todd
Krispinsky has created a totally realistic bridge
abutment.  Andrew Kaletta’s lighting is mood perfect.

You will not see a finer performance than Rasheryl
McCreary’s emotionally shattering Hester.  Her pain is
our pain.  Her frustrations are our frustrations.  She
is magnificent! Victor Dickerson, Anthony Elfonzia,
Renee Matthews-Jackson, Kevin Brewer and Cassandra
Vincent are all wonderful.

‘IN THE BLOOD’ runs through March 30 at Dobama
Theatre.  This is a MUST SEE production. For tickets,
which are only $11-$18, phone 216-932-3396.

(Listen to Roy Berko discussing Northern Ohio
entertainment on "Action Talent Live," heard on
WERE-AM (1300), Friday’s from 1-2 PM.)


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