[NEohioPAL]Berko review: ICARUS (convergence-continuum)

[Roy Berko]

‘ICARUS’ attempts to fly at convergence-continuum

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)


--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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


“Sometimes beauty is a curse.” “Sometimes hope is
disguised.” “Sometimes with love you can touch the
sun.”  These three lines summarize the concepts
stressed in Edwin Sanchez’s play, ‘ICARUS,’ now on
stage at convergence-continuum.

As with most of the theatre’s productions, Artistic
Director Clyde Simon and Executive Director Brian
Breth have found a script which challenges the
audience to think.  The dynamic duo seeks scripts
which other local theatres can’t or won’t produce
because they are too controversial, too abstract, or
not appealing to general audiences.  

Sanchez, is among the new breed of elite contemporary
playwrights.  His plays, from his breakout script,
‘TRAFFICKING IN BROKEN HEARTS’ concern chance
meetings, impossible love, and the cold realities that
get in the way of dreams.  His plays take a group of
oddball characters--all searching, all damaged--and
have them affect each other’s lives.   

In ‘ICARUS,’ as one play analyst states, “Like the
Greek myth from which the play takes its name,
‘ICARUS’ is about super-charged dreamers whose wax
wings melt when they fly too close to the sun. 
‘ICARUS’ plays out like an inverted ‘BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST’ fairy tale, though there's no magic to whip up
a happy ending.  But there are moments of grace that
fill the play's one hundred minutes when the
characters are momentarily released from their own
traumas and attempt to help one another in unassuming
but meaningful ways...in an enchanted setting,
dreamers almost win, lovers nearly find happiness, and
beauty kisses those who most deserve its fleeting
glory. Reality ultimately kills the fairy tale."

The story concerns the facially disfigured Altagracia
who who has found a beach house, apparently abandoned
for the off-season, into which she moves her
wheelchair-bound brother, Primitivo.  Setting a goal
for Primitivo to swim until he reaches the sun,
Altagracia encourages him by stoking his dreams of
fame and fortune.  Mr. Ellis accompanies the duo with
a stuffed cat named Betty.  He also carries a valise
filled with "dreams" which he taunts others to try and
reach for.  Beau, a friend of the owner of the house,
arrives wearing a ski mask supposedly to hide the
effects of a terrible accident. He is surprised to
find the house occupied and wants the invaders to
leave. After some negotiating everyone remains.
Instead of the solitude he was expecting, Beau ends up
getting, and giving, some vigorous lessons.  In the
house next door lives "the Gloria," a faded Hollywood
legend who occupies a world of illusions about her now
faded beauty.

Sanchez’s poetic writing, the abstractness of the
storytelling, the use of the name Icarus yet not
stressing the parallel to the actual Icarus tale,
makes for abstraction which the audience may not
easily grasp.   Sanchez uses the myth as a point of
reference, but this is not a modern retelling of it. 

Convergence-continuum’s production is good, but not
great.  It is overly slow and needed some visual
effects to induce the audience to create reality. 
Director Caleb Sekeres needed to pick up the pace and
highlight the eccentricity of the characters even more
than he did.  As is, the play makes for a somewhat
long sit.

Jovana Batkovic is generally effective as Altagracia,
though more anguished pain needed to be obvious as she
fights for normalcy while dealing with her crippled
brother and her personal disfiguration.  Brin
Metzendorf is often on the surface as Primitivo.  He
needed to be more anguished until he finally finds a
real purpose in life and tries to “fly” in order to
free his world (his sister) from her constraints.

Clyde Simon is perfect as Mr. Ellis.  He is a
wonderful blend of the eccentric and the wise, in the
costume of a fool.   Lucy Bredeson-Smith was born to
play the role of the Gloria.  She creates a pathetic
and vulnerable blond Gloria Swanson with ease and
eerie realism.

Geoffrey Hoffman is excellent as the psychologically
destroyed yet physically beautiful Beau.   Hoffman, as
he has proven in numerous convergence productions, 
seems to have the knack to take any role and make it
his own.

The performance space both works for and against the
performers.  The limited size allows for emotional
closeness to the actors.  On the other hand, running
through curtains as an exit to the sea ruins the
illusion.  Fading the lights on the main stage while
the sun spot shines brightly as a visual image, as
each of the characters runs into the ocean, may have
made the exits more palatable.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  For those who like
convergence-continuum’s selection of though provoking
pieces, the script of ‘ICARUS’ will satisfy their
desires.  In a slightly better paced and conceived
production, the experience would have satisfied the
entire audience’s wants.

‘ICARUS’ runs at 8 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays through July 15 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 about
40.


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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