[NEohioPAL]Berko review: QED (Actors' Summit)

[Roy Berko]

OUTSTANDING ‘QED’ AT ACTORS’ SUMMIT

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

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

I’m about to tell you that a lecture about physics
makes for fascinating theatre.

You might think, “This reviewer has gone off the deep
end.”  Whether the latter statement is true or not
isn’t the issue.  The fact remains that physics,
cancer treatment and musical theatre blended with
marvelous acting and focused directing, does make for
an enticing evening of theatre.  Where?  It’s on stage
Actors’ Summit which is presenting Peter Farnell’s
play ‘QED’ about Richard Feynman, the renowned
physicist, professor and Nobel Prize winner.

QED stands for Quantum Electrodynamics, which was
Feynman's field.   QED is also the abbreviation for
'quod erat demonstrandum,' which basically means 'that
proves it.'  And what Farnell proves is not only that
Feynman was a genius, who was part of the team that
developed the atomic bomb, but a person of enormous
warmth, creativity and passion.  He was a real person
who was as at home at the blackboard figuring out
abstract formulas as playing the King of Bali Hai in a
college production of ‘SOUTH PACIFIC.’

Alan Alda portrayed Feynman in both the Los Angeles
and Broadway productions of ‘QED.’  A review stated of
his Big Apple performance, “Alda's everyman demeanor
is perfectly suited to this play; he is capable of
winning over the audience immediately and guiding
them, with a gentle hand, through what might otherwise
be impossibly difficult subject matter. It is,
however, always Feynman onstage. Alda has no problem
vanishing into the character of Feynman here, with his
manic mannerisms and strong adaptation to the ‘stream
of consciousness’ style of Parnell's script.”  

The reviewer could have penned those words about Neil
Thackaberry’s performance.  His is a tour de force
enactment.  

Under Wayne Turney’s capable directing, Thackaberry
spends his almost one-and-a half hours on stage in
what is close to a solo piece, talking to the
audience, yakking on the phone and briefly interacting
with a female student (Miriam, capably portrayed by
Jocelyn Roueiheb), who may be as interested in him as
an intellect as a potential sex mate.  

Throughout, we remain fascinated.  We are compelled to
share in his intimate decisions about whether or not
to have yet another operation to curb his raging
cancer, his dealings with a group of visiting Russian
dignitaries, and his performance in the musical.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Actors’ Summit seems to deal
exceptionally well with solo shows.  Their ‘CLARENCE
DARROW:  A ONE MAN SHOW,’ which starred Thackaberry
and ‘GIVE ‘EM HELL HARRY,’ which starred Turney, the
play’s director, were both outstanding.  Add ‘QED’ to
that list!  This is a must see performance.

‘QED’ runs though January 28 at Actors’ Summit, 86
Owen Brown Street, Hudson.  Call for tickets now at
330-342-0800


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://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.  His dance reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
The fish are biting. 
Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing.
http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/sponsoredsearch_v2.php