[NEohioPAL]Berko reviews: convergence (7 BL*WJ*BS) & GLFT (Hamlet)

[Roy Berko]

CONVERGENCE-CONTINUUM PRESENTS ANOTHER WELLMAN PLAY;
HAMLET AT GLTF

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

I’ve always believed that the value of any of the arts
was in the mind of the beholder.  While one person
might think of Jackson Pollack’s paintings as random
purposeless blots of paint, others will wax eloquently
about Pollack’s creativity.   Phillip Glass’s atnonal
music is like the scratching of fingernails on the
blackboard to some and engrossing to others.    The
same is true of theatrical scripts and productions. 
Not everyone agrees on what is great theatre.

Convergence-continuum is in a run of Mac Wellman’s ‘7
BL*WJ*BS.’   The theatre’s Artistic Director Clyde
Simon is an admirer of Wellman’s works.  He loves the
writers"unconventional material and characters." I, on
the other hand, am not a fan of Wellman’s creations.  

Last spring I revealed in a review of the theatre’s
production of ‘SINCERITY FOREVER’ that Wellman
purports that, "It is not interesting at this point in
human time to portray the real world as it seems to be
in its own terms; but it is interesting to unfold, in
human terms, the logic of its illogic and so get at
the nut of our contemporary human experience." I
stated, "The production of ‘SINCERELY YOURS’ is
outstanding.  It far surpasses the quality of the
wordy play."

My reaction to ‘7 BL*WJ*BS’ is exactly the same...good
production of a script that is of questionable value. 
I don’t think Wellman said anything that hasn’t been
said before, often better.  And, I also think that
Simon’s directing was right on target.

Audience members were also of mixed mind.  At
intermission, some of the audience disappeared. 
During the production some laughed hysterically, many
others, myself included, were more restrained.   At
the curtain call while some screamed and applauded,
others clapped politely. 

I’m not the only theatre critic who responds
negatively to Wellman’s work.  One states, "Mac
Wellman's ‘7 BL*WJ*BS’ attempts to poke fun at
right-wing prudes but its thin, repetitive script
doesn't stand up for the play's entire two-act
length." Further comments include, "Unfortunately, the
play doesn't rise to the promise of its initial
concept." Another intones, "The play's badly
overworked main joke is stretched from the two minutes
it's worth to two acts."
 
That said, what’s the play about?  The plot centers on
what happens when a right-wing senator's office
receives a package of seven indecent pictures. 
Gawking disapprovingly at the scandalous pictures, the
senator's staff are later joined by the senator and a
religious leader who continue to discuss the pictures.
 We are exposed to the scandals, religious influences
on decision making, corruption in government, and
pseudo attitudes of both conservatives and liberals in
our government.

The cast is quite good, especially given what they
have to work with.  Especially strong are Chuck Richi
as the Senator, Cliff Bailey as Reverend Tom, and
Brian Breth and Lauri Hammer as two of the staff
members.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: If you like Wellman’s writing style
you will have yet another chance to experience it when
convergence-continuum presents his script, ‘CLEVELAND’
in December.   I’ll go because I really think Simon
has a knack for directing Wellman’s work, but if the
"plot" and the story development aren’t anything more
than ‘SINCERELY FOREVER’ and ‘7 BL*WJ*BS," I’ll again
wind up applauding the actors and the production, but
not the play. 

‘7 BL*WJ*BS’ runs at 8 pm Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays through November 1 at
convergence-continuum’s artistic home, The Liminis, at
2438 Scranton Rd. in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood.
 Tickets are $12 general admission and $9 for students
and seniors. For information and reservations call
216-687-0074. Seating for this production will be
limited to 50.

HAMLET SOMEWHAT UNFULFILLING AT GLTF

Since it was first performed in 1603, ‘THE TRAGEDY OF
HAMLET, THE PRINCE OF DENMARK’ has been credited as
being the best English-language play ever written.  
Due to its complex themes and multi-layered text it
has received a great deal of analysis.  Some of that
analysis, however, doesn’t agree with your high school
English teacher’s view of the play’s greatness.   

As T. S. Elliot once wrote, "So far from being
Shakespeare's masterpiece, the play is most certainly
an artistic failure. In several ways the play is
puzzling, and disquieting as is none of his others. Of
all his plays it is the longest and is possibly the
one on which Shakespeare spent most pains; and, yet,
he has left in it superfluous and inconsistent scenes
which even hasty revisions should have noticed." 

Besides the play itself, the character of Hamlet is
considered one of the most compelling ever written. 
The part has also been subjected to numerous
interpretations and studies, his thoughts analyzed and
reanalyzed.   As with the play, there are arguments
concerning the quality of the way the character is
conceived.  Most of Shakespeare’s major characters are
clearly crafted, their motives clear...think Macbeth,
Lady Macbeth, Iago.  This is not the case with Hamlet.

The Great Lakes Theatre Festival has decided to
undertake ‘HAMLET’ as the opening show in their
"new/old" schematic.  GLTF has reestablished itself as
a repertory company after abandoning the pattern 18
years ago.   Repertory centers on hiring a company of
actors who perform different plays in tandem with the
performers playing different roles from night to
night.  For example, the same actors will appear in
‘TARTUFFE’ which opens October 18.  Andrew May, who is
the Ghost in ‘HAMLET’ is Orgon in ‘TARTUFFE."  

This concept is exciting for Clevelanders as Charles
Fee, GLTF’s Producing Artisitc Director, has employed
many local artists who have sporadically been employed
since the Cleveland Play House abandoned its company
of actors.  It’s nice to see names like Scott Plate,
Laura Perrota, Wayne Turney and Paula Duesing in the
cast.

GLTF’s three-hour production lacks texturing and
effective pacing. Director Fee has decided to make
sure that the audience grasps each word.  To achieve
this he has slowed down the speech and actions which
makes the production flat.  It lacks excitement.  This
will be great for the school groups who attend as they
will have no difficulty in grasping the words, but it
doesn’t make for compelling theatre.

Though the audience hears the words, it is nearly
impossible to feel much toward the characters, and
this is a play that is character driven.  Is Hamlet
crazed, crazy, demented, deranged?   Is he motivated
to get revenge for his father’s murder or obsessed by
his need for attention?  What are his real feelings
toward his mother? Toward Ophelia?  Steve Tague, in
the lead role, looking demonic with his goatee,
mustache and shaggy black hair,  lacks the fire to
give us the needed clues.  Even the famous "to be or
not to be" speech lacks clarity....what’s the
motivation for those words?

Wayne Turney is delightful as Polonius, the Councillor
of State and later as the gravedigger.   Sara Bruner’s
Ophelia is beautifully vulnerable.  Her underplayed
crazed scene, caused by the murder of her father and
rejection by Hamlet, is one of the play’s highlights. 
Scott Plate plays Horatio, Hamlet’s friend with
compassion.  

Aled Davies is not evil enough as Claudius, Hamlet’s
uncle and killer of his father.  We need to hate him,
he gives us no reason to react to him in a negative
way.  

Fee’s use of music to highlight scenes and the
creative use of scenic staging devices are excellent. 
Rick Martin’s lighting and Gage Williams sets enhance
the mood of the production.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: ‘THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET, PRINCE OF
DENMARK’ at GLTF lacks the excitement, pacing and
clarity needed to make this a major classic
production.

‘HAMLET’ will be alternating with ‘TARTUFFE’ in
repertory through November 9.  For tickets call
216-241-6000.  For information about the GLTF season
go on line to www.greatlakestheater.org.



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