[NEohioPAL] Berko review: HELLCAB @ Blank Canvas

[Roy Berko]

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Life examined through the eyes of a cabbie at Blank Canvas

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

Blank Canvas, the area’s newest professional theatre, has done it again.
Will Kern’s HELLCAB is the company’s third production.  It’s another winner.

HELLCAB takes the audience on a seventy-minute ride through twenty-two
different fares a Chicago cabbie has in a single day.

The story is a social and moral commentary on the lives of people as it
probes religion, race, urban life, prejudice, normalcy and desperation.
The cabbie endures a trio of druggies, a bragging wealthy man who has
little regard for women, a numbed rape victim, a smug lawyer, a frustrated
middle-aged woman, a couple of loud-mouthed New York Yankee fanatics who
yell obscene comments at Chicago Cubs fans, a woman about to give birth, an
architect, a potential robber, and a Pakistani.   It’s all capped off by a
touching final scene.

The entire show is staged on a turntable in the middle of Blank Canvas’s
theatre-in-a-square stage on which is placed a replica of a yellow cab.  As
the play proceeds, the auto turns so the audience gets to see the scenes
from various viewpoints.  The small size of the theatre, in which no one is
more than four rows away from the action, adds to the intimacy and realism.

Mark Moritz’s directing is right on course.  The scenes are well paced and
flows nicely.  The six actors who play over 25 different roles switch and
hold their characters well.  The use of costume and wig changes, as well as
vocal variations and pronunciations, help create the various people.

The star of the show is the talented Patrick Ciamacco who never leaves the
stage throughout the production.  Ciamacco textures the role of the cabbie
with emotions that range from being tired, to irritation, to rage, to fear,
to empathy.  His mobile face changes from blank stares to grimaces, rolling
eyes, disgust, and fear, with purposeful ease.  What makes his performance
even more impressive is that Ciamacco stepped into the role less than 24
hours before opening night.

The rest of the cast, Sonya Barnes, Kenneth Bryant, Joe Dunn, Doug Kusak,
Katie Nabors and Carla Petroski, are all excellent.  There is not a weak
link in the acting chain.

*CAPSULE JUDGMENT: HELLCAB is a thought provoking, sometimes humorous
glimpse into life in a big city which exposes the foibles and lives of
people who use a cab as their means of transportation.  It’s na evening of
impressive performances and well worth seeing.
*
HELLCAB runs though May 20 in its west side theatre, 1305 West 78th Street,
Suite 211, Cleveland.  Get directions to the theatre on the website.  (My
GPS was of little help).  Once you arrive at the site, go around the first
building to find the entrance and then follow the signs to the second floor
acting space.  (Hopefully they’ve put up more signage, as the path is not
well marked.) It’s an adventurous battle, but worth the effort. For tickets
and directions go to www.blankcanvasthetre.com

 Roy Berko's commentaries and reviews appear on coolcleveland.com,
neohiopal.com,artsamerica.com,

and broadwaynews.com.  His blog is: www.royberko.info
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For more reviews about this play go to:  www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com*
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