[NEohioPAL] Berko review: ST. NICHOLAS @ Ensemble

[Roy Berko]

Dana Hart shines in
Conor McPherson’s ST. NICHOLAS at Ensemble
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County
Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times            
 
--COOLCLEVELAND.COM—
 
The Irish are noted as vivid and imaginative writers (think
Bram Stoker, James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Beckett, Sean O’Cassey and
Brian Friel).  They are also noted
as being verbose in their creations, as well as being prodigious drinkers,
spinners of tall tales, philosophers and womanizers.  
 
Conor
McPherson is one of the new breed of Irish writers who creates in his
heritage’s tradition.  In 1990, The
Dublin born McPherson’s THE WEIR, won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New
Play.  His 2004 play, SHINING CITY,
prompted the London Telegraph to describe him as "the finest dramatist of
his generation.”  THE SEAFARER,
which opens this week at Dobama Theatre, opened in London and New York to rave
reviews.  Both SHINING CITY and THE
SEAFARER were Tony nominees.
 
It should come as no surprise that McPherson, the author of
ST. NICHOLAS, now in production at Ensemble Theatre, writes a rather long
diatribe about a hard drinking writer who spins a preposterous tale of
vampires, women, drinking and finding redemption.  And, much in the Irish tradition of the likes of G.B. Shaw,
McPherson asks, "Vampires or theater critics—which are more repellent?  Tough call when they’re bloodsuckers,
the lot of ’em.”  (And, the man got
great reviews in spite of skewering us critics.)
 
The play takes us on a journey with a jaded Irish theater critic who is
mesmerized  by a beautiful young
dancer/actress from the famed Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Following the young
actress to London, the critic is drawn into a world of big-city “vampires” – a
world that is elegant, sophisticated, and in the end, soulless. It is a tale of
self-discovery, in the typical overly dramatic Irish way, that assaults modern
culture, where greed and self-gratification are paramount and where the
“vultures” try to suck the life right out of us.
 
Dana Hart is outstanding as the lone-actor in this two-act almost
two-hour show.  There are hundreds
of lines, a subtle Irish brogue, a necessary twinkle in the eye, the need to
portray a drunk who is not slapstick or maudlin, being able to confront the
audience directly and play for the seriousness and mirth of the ideas, while
making us question whether the goings on are real, or Irish blarney.  Hart does is all with ease.  This is a tour-de-force
performance!  
 
Director Sarah May has worked with Hart to create a believable
story-telling realism, while transporting us to a philosophical world of
illusion.
 
Is this a Christmas tale as might be assumed from
the play’s title?  There is one
Christmas tree on stage, but it is neither referred to in the dialogue or gets
paid any attention.  The holiday’s
name gets mentioned once in the script, but again, for no particular
reason.  The title?  As is the Irish custom of creating
illusion, McPherson has given each of the viewers a wonderful gift from St.
Nick, a holiday present in the form of this play!
 
CAPSULE
JUDGEMENT:  ST NICHOLAS is an
actor’s show.  In this case, actor
Dana Hart gives a performance that deserves to be seen and appreciated.
 
ST. NICHOLAS runs through December 11 at Ensemble Theatre
now housed in Coventry School, 2843 Washington Blvd, Cleveland Heights .  For tickets call 216-321-2930 or go
online to www.ensemble-theatre.org 
 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and www.NeOHIOpal, while special features appear at http://artsamerica.org.
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