[NEohioPAL]BERKO REVIEW: WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN (Caeser's Forum)

[Roy Berko]

Colerider Excels in Cesear’s Forum’s ‘When the World
Was Green’

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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


‘WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN,’ Joseph Chaikin and Sam
Shepard’s play, now being staged by Cesear’s Forum, is
a lyrical memory play which examines a family vendetta
that has lasted for seven generations and ends with
the wave of a scarf.  Of course, as is often the case
in Shepard’s plays, there is a simple story line which
has much below the surface meaning.  The format is
typical Shepard--poetic and filled with sensory
images.  For example, we are exposed to journeys to
distant lands and exotic food "piled as high as a
mountain, glistening in the sun." 

The play has two characters, an old man who was once a
superb chef, and a young reporter, who supposedly
comes to interview him in the prison where he has been
locked up for many years after poisoning a man he
mistook for his hated cousin.   The duo has eight
conversations which are interspersed with monologues
in which both characters recall incidents from their
childhoods, linking the people together.  This is a
play of regret and loss.

First seen at the Arts Festival performed during the
Atlanta Olympic games, the play had its Broadway debut
at The Joseph Papp Public Theater.

This is not a Shepard solo-written piece.  Joe
Chaikin, his coauthor, also collaborated with Shepard
on "SAVAGE/LOVE" and "TONGUES," and is well-known in
his own right.   He has been awarded six Obie. 

Chaikin has a local link.  He donated his original
manuscripts and other papers to the Department of
Special Collections and Archives of Kent State
University in 1972. He continues to add material to
his collection.  In acknowledgment of his contribution
KSU granted him an honorary doctorate in 1990.

As one theatre historian stated, “It is difficult to
imagine a less likely pair of collaborators than
Chaikin and Shepard. One an erudite, experimental New
York director, the other a reclusive
playwright-cum-film star, yet, their sustained
theatrical partnership has produced some of the
boldest dramatic texts of the late twentieth century.”
 As is the case in Shepard and Chaikin's other
projects, live music plays an important part in the
staging of ‘WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN.’  In fact, the
piano, which was ever present in previous productions,
is credited with almost becoming another character.

Cesear’s Forum’s production, under the direction of
Greg Cesear has both is strengths and weaknesses. 
Glenn Colerider portrays the old man with proper
restraint.  He is consistently believable, in spite of
working in a cramped space and having to manipulate
through a maze of cloth panels to make exits and come
forward to speak his monologues to the audience.  Why
set designer Michael LaRochelle placed a scrim across
the front the stage isn’t clear.   It caused movement
problems for the actors and the seam down its center
caused further distraction.  The side panels, which
were supposed to look like wooden walls, often were
not closed or hanging straight, also causing visual
distraction. 

Kristie J. Lange, the reporter, has a fine singing
voice and her vocal interludes were excellent.  Her
character development, on the other hand, was not
consistent.  She sometimes lost her concentration,
causing a lack of idea clarity.

Cesear’s directing was also inconsistent.  The final
waving of the scarf, a significant act at the end of
the play, was basically not seen, as it took place
behind the back scrim wall which was poorly lit. 
There were also times when the actors had to literally
squeeze past each other to make their stage crosses.

Christina Leja’s sound design was excellent, but her
lighting design and execution were disastrous.  Lights
came and went with no plan.  One scene was played
entirely in the dark and as the last line was said,
blinding light invaded the space.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  ‘WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN’ is an
interesting script.  Glenn Colerider’s performance was
excellent.  Too bad Cesear wasn’t able to get more out
of the material and didn’t have a stronger production
team.  

Be aware that the play runs 90-minutes without
intermission and the theatre has small uncomfortable
chairs with little raking.  This is not a good
play-viewing space.

‘WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN’ plays Fridays and
Saturdays, February 3 through 18 and March 3 through
18 at Kennedy;’s Down Under at Playhouse Square
Center.  Call 216-241-600 for tickets which are $15.



Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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