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

[Roy Berko]

‘PROOF’ adds up at ACTORS’ SUMMIT

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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Is there a thin line between genius and mental
illness?  Can a person “burn out” when s/he gets near
the age of 40, no longer able to muster up the deep
thoughts that appeared so easily in their early
twenties?   Can a woman be a mathematical genius? 
These are only three of the questions broached by
playwright David Auburn in his prize winning play
‘PROOF.’

‘PROOF’ centers on Catherine, a young woman who has
spent years caring for her father, Robert, who was a
brilliant mathematician in his younger years.  As he
passed forty, he lost his acuity.  He wrote
continually, but the material was irrational.  After
he dies, Hal, a former student, probes into his
ramblings with the hope of finding something worth
publishing, thus pushing ahead Hal’s stalled career. 
With Catherine’s help, Hal discovers a
paradigm-shifting proof about prime numbers in
Robert's office.  He assumes it was Robert’s work. 
Catherine claims the proof was conceived by her.  Hal
questions this conclusion, doubting that a woman with
little in-depth knowledge of mathematics could create
such brilliance.  His reaction not only ends their
relationship, but brings front-and-center Catherine's
fear of following in her father's
footsteps--mathematical genius and mentally ill.

‘PROOF’ was awarded the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
and the Tony Award for Best Play.

What’s interesting to many is that Auburn attended the
University of Chicago where he studied political
philosophy, not mathematics.  In reality, it matters
little as there is no actual inclusion mathematical
concepts.  This should relieve those who fear the show
because it might be too abstract and technical.

Actors’ Summit’s production, under the guidance of
Wayne Turney, is excellent.  It is well paced and each
of the actors develops a clear character.
 
Constance Thackaberry gives the right edge to her
performance as Catherine.  Is she a clone of her
father
brilliant and on the way to insanity?  Or, is
she the product of her sister Claire’s attempt to
control her out of guilt for the failure to provide
aid to their father as she plotted her own life track?
 You’ll leave the theatre appropriately asking those
questions.

A. Neil Thackaberry gives a meaningful performance as
Robert.  He walks the line between insanity and
brilliance with surety.  

Alicia Kahn is properly up-tight as Catherine’s
sister, Claire.  Her pronunciation, body language,
clothing, hair style and attitude are character
perfect.

Keith Stevens is on-target as Harold Dobbs, Robert’s
former student.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Actors’ Summit’s ‘PROOF’ is a well
conceived production of an excellent script.  There
isn’t a weak link in the production chain.

‘PROOF’ runs though January 27 at Actors’ Summit, 86
Owen Brown Street, Hudson.  For tickets call
330-342-0800.


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 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://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


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