[NEohioPAL]Berko review: AND BABY MAKES 7 (convergence-continuum)

[Roy Berko]

Another thought-provoking and weird experience at
convergence-continuum

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

At intermission, the woman sitting next to me at the
opening night production of Paula Vogel’s ‘AND
BABY MAKES SEVEN,’ at convergence-continuum theatre,
said, “Well, it’s another one of those Clyde Simon
thought-provoking, weird experiences.”

Yes, thought-provoking and weird are the general rule
at convergence, Cleveland’s off, off, way off
Broadway home of scripts that no one else in the
Cleveland area drama scene will produce. 

On the surface, the play seems to be straight forward.
 Two lesbians (Ruth and Anna) decide to have children
with the help of Peter, their gay male friend.  Okay,
no problem there.  That’s what you think.  Vogel’s
creativity lets lose, and in order to prepare for the
impending birth, she has the women develop child
alter-egos.  The fantasy rug rats aren’t your run of
the mill kids.   Orphan is a feral wild-child raised
by dogs at the New York Port Authority, who may or may
not have rabies.  Henri is a misplaced Parisian,
borrowed from the movie ‘THE RED BALLOON.’  Cecil
is a savant and Darwinian, to boot.  (You are probably
thinking, “What? No way.”  Come on, would I make
this up?)  In the final week before their real baby is
due, Peter suggests they need to clear their apartment
of the make-believe children.  The trio decide to
“kill them off.”  They supposedly accomplish their
deed, but, of course, to make the plot thicker, when
the real baby shows up, the pretend kids return.  So,
baby does make 7! 

The script has been called, “funny, allusive and
edgy."  At times, the audience gets off tracked as
Vogel throws in lines from ‘TEA AND SYMPATHY,’
Shakespeare and snippets from lots of pop songs that
may well be beyond the reach of the youngish audiences
we tend to show up for convergence productions.    As
we watch, there is a tendency to play amateur
psychologist and figure out whether the fantasy
children are really flashbacks to personal histories
of the women.   

The convergence production is quite good.  Denise
Astorino, who is quickly establishing herself as a
local superstar, is excellent.  Not only does she make
her human character real, but her dog-like feral child
and French speaking Red Balloon kid are right-on.  

Jovana Batkovic is equally fine as the real Anna, and
the fantasy Cecil, she of child actions but adult
wisdom.  Her pregnancy out-of-control hormones scene
is hysterical.

Only Geoffrey Hoffman falters slightly.  Hoffman is
one of my favorite local actors.  He has good
character-centered instincts and is usually on target.
 Therefore, I cannot understand why either he, or
director Simon, decided that he needed to be fay,
sound affected and feigned an over-extended “gay”
presence.  His saving grace?  His giving the baby a
bath scene is priceless.  Oh, and for those who have
become accustomed to seeing Hoffman showing off his
gym-toned body on the convergence stage, yes, fear
not, Simon makes sure that he does scenes with his
shirt off.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   So, what’s the verdict?  I
guess Simon’s onslaught of off kilter plays has
finally gotten to me.  I surrender, I found myself
interested, even absorbed.  As for you, the bottom
line is, either you want to play Vogel's fantasy game,
or you don't.  If the answer is, “yes” then go,
think, and be weirded-out.

‘AND BABY MAKES SEVEN’ runs until November 18 at 8
pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 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 35.


Roy Berko's theatre blog, which includes reviews of all recent plays, can be found at http://royberkinfo.blogspot.com  
      Information regarding his consulting and publications and older theatre reviews can be found at www.royberko.info.  
      Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly 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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