[NEohioPAL]Berko review: HIGHWAY ULYSSES (Dobama)

[Roy Berko]

DOBAMA PRESENTS MULTI-AWARD WINNING  ‘HIGHWAY ULYSSES’


Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

‘Highway Ulysses,’ now being presented in its midwest
premiere at Dobama Theatre, began as a workshop at ART
 (The American Repertory Theatre) in Cambridge,
Massachusetts.  It tells the story of Ulysses, a
Vietnam war veteran who receives an urgent call in the
middle of the night which causes him to embark on a
journey to find his son. A journey, much like the that
of the mythological Ulysses, in which he must come in
contact with and conquer creatures, fears and beliefs.
 On his way, he gets waylaid by a kaleidoscope of
characters including a waitress at a truck stop, a
one-eyed librarian, and a woman in a tattoo parlor.
These bizarre characters embrace Ulysses, forcing him
to confront his violent past and propelling him on to
accomplishing his task. 

Rinde Eckert, who authored the play, is not unique in
his use of the traveler motif.  The odyssey concept
was the model for Mark Twain's ‘HUCKLEBERRY FINN,’
Jack Kerouac's ‘ON THE ROAD,’ as well as Homer's
‘ODYSSEY.’

‘HIGHWAY ULYSSES’ started out as a solo piece that
Eckert, who is a writer and a performer as well as a
composer, wrote for himself.  The work has been
transformed into a multi-character construction. 

Eckert states of the piece, “When I looked at ‘THE
ODYSSEY,’ I started asking questions about the
relationship between a returning war hero and the
operations of a state.  I understand the search for
redemption in the original play, though I'm skeptical
of the degree to which Odysseus is redeemed, given his
opacity and lack of self-criticism. He never
reproaches himself, though his failures are legion.”

As for the musical aspects, the sound is both atonal
and archaic-sounding, incorporating chanting as well
as the sung and spoken word, and is not always
pleasing to the ear.

The play is a difficult piece to breath life into.  It
is basically a monochromatic with little variance of
texture in either the music or the words.  With this
said, Dobama gives the play a creditable if uninspired
production.  Sonya Robbins has tried to make the
journey one of clarity, but that is hard to do as much
of the meaning is implied, not readily obvious.  In
spite of the fact that most of the cast are actors,
not necessarily singers, the sound is acceptable
because this is not music that needs well trained
singers.    The points to be made are in the words,
not in their musical sound.  

Paul Floriano is properly tortured as Ulysses.  He
develops a consistent character who acts from
emotions, from flashbacks, rather than rational
clarity.   Meg O’Halloran’s portrayal as the son
lacked idea development.  Her quiet singing and
speaking is difficult to hear.  Juliette Regnier is
excellent as the waitress, siren and wife.  The rest
of the ensemble cast--Brittany Hicks, Kimberly Koljat,
George Roth, Joe Milan, Ray McNeice and Alison
Hernan--perform effectively.  

Musical director Josh Senick has assembled a fine
group of musicians who play the difficult music well. 


CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   In spite of the play being
selected as the Best play of 2003 by the Boston Globe
and winning the Norton Award for Best New Play in
Boston
‘HIGHWAY ULYSSES’ is definitely not a show for
everyone.  The ninety-minute production is performed
without an intermission, but still makes a long sit as
there is not a great deal of action and a there are a
lot of words.
  
Tickets for ‘HIGHWAY ULYSSES,’ which runs through
December 12, are available by calling Dobama Theatre
at 216-932-3396.  

Sidenote:  Dobama Theatre itself is in the midst of a
travel odyssey.  Next season will find them leaving
their home on Coventry, and moving into their new
venue in the Cleveland Height Library on Lee Road. 
Having been part of that group which 44 years ago
broke away from Euclid Little Theatre to form Dobama,
I can only wish the company the very best.   Many of
who started the theatre are gone, including Marilyn
and Donald Bianchi, Shirley Singer, Margi Dodrill,
Rhoda Koret and Lee Zinner.  But those of us who are
still around from the “original group” remember the
struggling days--the renting the Chagrin Falls Little
Theatre for the first several shows, the move to the
bar area of the old Quad Hall Hotel near the Cleveland
Play House, and ripping out the bowling alley which
has been the theatre’s production space for 40 years. 
I urge the community to financially support the “new”
Dobama.  It would be a shame to lose this, the first
of the “off-Broadway” Cleveland theatre companies.




=====
Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source, which can be subscribed to at no charge by contacting neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com.


		
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