[NEohioPAL] REVIEW: RIPCORD, at Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohi

[Tom Wachunas]

Prankand Circumstance

ByTom Wachunas

   The series offour plays comprising the 2019/20 season from itinerant Seat of the PantsProductions are offered under the theme of ‘The Kindness of Strangers,’described as “…posing questions and inspiring dialogue about how we engage withthe foreigner, alien, or person who is different in our midst.” There’ssomething curiously appropriate, even poetic, about landing the first play ofthe series in a venue as theatrically nontraditional as Canton’s Habitat forHumanity of East Central Ohio.

   Directed byCraig Joseph, Ripcord is a wickedlydelicious comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire that centers on two elderly widows whoturn their time in an otherwise pleasant senior living facility into a mutuallyadversarial habitat. Talk about odd couples. From the start, chronically crankyAbby (Dede Klein) complains about everything.She can’t stand her bubbly, newly-arrived roommate, Marilyn (April Deming).Abby pleads with a senior center staffer, Scotty (Benjamin Gregg), to assignMarilyn to another room, but to no avail. So when Marilyn - who says she nevergets angry about anything – makes a bet, Abby - who says that nothing scaresher - jumps at the chance. 

   The wager? IfAbby can first succeed in making Marilyn angry, Marilyn moves out. But ifMarilyn can first frighten Abby, Marilyn can have the bed she wants - the one closestto the window with a beautiful view of the park outside. 

   Pull theripcord.  A madcap game of oneupsmanshipensues, escalating into ever more mischievous practical jokes, and thrustingboth women into a scenario of painful revelations about their respective pasts.

   The theatricalacumen of Craig Joseph’s entire cast is marvelous. As Abby, Dede Klein presents a visceral rendering of feral grumpiness,colored by a tired cynicism that at times feels, frightfully enough,misanthropic. Similarly startling in her authenticity, April Deming paints aspot-on portrait of Marilyn’s seemingly unflappable kindness and garrulousoptimism. It’s fascinating to watch these hopelessly conflicting temperamentssubtly morph from a slapstick clash of wills into a pathos which perhapsneither character could have anticipated at the beginning of their prank war.

   The supporting cast performs with equallyimpressive aplomb.  Benjamin Gregg isdownright endearing as the dutiful resident aide Scotty – patient, infectiouslyfunny, but increasingly exasperated by the womens’ ceaseless shananigans. He’ssure they need to get out more. So at one point, he invites them to visit thehaunted house attraction where he’s been hired as an actor. There, he plays aprisoner bellowing his melodramatic pleas for mercy and tearful goodbyes ashe’s repeatedly executed in the electric chair. Amidst all of this scene’sbelly laughs, there’s a fleetingly heartrending, indeed symbolic moment,wherein Abby stands away from the crowd, not so much scared as haunted bysadness, gazing down at a baby doll that’s been shoved into her arms by adesperate  woman (Shani Ferry) pleadingfor someone to rescue her child.

   Meanwhilethere are first-rate performances by Shani Ferry as Colleen, and Micah Harveyas Derek, Marilyn’s daughter and son-in-law. Marilyn has enlisted them asco-conspirators in her elaborate plots to scare Abby. In one particularlyingenious scene, we see all of them tethered together for a skydiving adventureled by a stoned-out instructor played by James Alexander Rankin, who laterplays Abby’s estranged son, Benjamin, with riveting poignance. In another sceneof bizarre, gut-splitting hilarity, Micah Harvey, disguised as a ridiculousrabbit with fiery eyes and gold fangs, attempts to rob Abby at gunpoint as shesits reading on the park bench. She’s perturbed, sure, but definitely notscared. Yet.

   Some darkertruths about these embattled women are further revealed. But some truths can befreeing. In the end there’s a brief, gentle smile of truce as they sit nearthat prized window overlooking the park. This wildly entertaining freefall hasplaced them, and us, in a path of peace.

   Ripcord, at Habitat for Humanity EastCentral Ohio, 1400 Raff Road Southwest, #Ste A, in Canton, Ohio / Performanceson Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15 & 16 at 8 p.m., Sunday Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.

Starring: Dede Klein, April Deming, Benjamin Gregg,Shani Ferry, Micah Harvey, and James Rankin. Directed by Craig Joseph;assistant directed by Kyle Huff, and stage managed by Allison Harvey. Setdesign and construction by Kevin Anderson; Scenic artist - Tim Eakin; costumesby McCarty & Morgan Custom Costumes; lighting by Ayron Lord; props by LisaWiley; sound engineer - Megan Slabach; sound design and original music by JohnGromada.

   Tickets $25,  at Evenbrite    https://ripcordsotp.eventbrite.com  

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