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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in -9pt 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>con-con’s ‘Self Defense’ paints
a powerful portrait of a female killer <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in -9pt 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3>Bob Abelman<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3>News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3>Member, International Association of Theatre Critics
<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="COLOR: #1f497d; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">This review will appear in
the News-Herald</SPAN><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> on
7/19/13<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3>This season,
convergence-continuum is presenting three provocative productions with the theme
“Mayhem and Madness.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Both are well
represented in the Ohio premiere of Carson Kreitzer’s “Self Defense,” an intense
<SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>fictionalized account of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos’
tribulations and trial.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>Wuornos was a prostitute who killed seven middle-aged johns
in Florida between 1989 and 1990 and, despite claims of self-defense, was
executed for her crimes in 2002. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Wuornos was the subject of the 2003 film
“Monster” starring Charlize Theron.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>Calling her Jolene (Laurel Hoffman), the playwright focuses
on the time between the first murder and her death by lethal injection, and does
so through an intriguing and occasionally confusing series of short
vignettes.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They provide – through
flashbacks, overlapping and interlaced dialogue, and videos displayed in
con-con’s extremely intimate performance space -- diminutive glimpses,
disturbing images, and partial insights into this story and its key
players.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>We are offered select pieces of Jolene’s history, including
her abandonment at age 4, the abuse she endured at the hands of the grandparents
who raised her, and her giving birth at the age of
14.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>We see that Jolene is an obsessive liar, an extreme
paranoid, and someone who perceives herself as unlovable.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>We hear about life on the streets in Jolene’s own
graceless, profanity-filled words and those of her colleagues in coitus (Katie
Atkison, Rachel Kolis), and listen to actual courtroom testimony where Jolene
describes in excruciating detail the acts of brutality she encountered and the
retaliation she inflicted.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>We learn about her intimate relationship with Lu (Elaine
Feagler) and Lu’s betrayal, which paints a human and sympathetic face on a
monster.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>Much like the detectives (Aaron Elersich, Joe Dunn),
lawyers (Rachel Kolis, Clyde Simon), judge (Wes Shofner) and coroner (Emily
Pucell) in the play, the audience must piece together these scattered
observations and draw its own conclusions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Is the sexual assault of a woman who sells her body for a living actually
rape or is it merely theft?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Is
Jolene’s excessive retaliation self defense, murder or
madness?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=3><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>The play, with its gritty writing and powerful imagery, makes a
convincing argument for each scenario.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>And, in this tight and well-paced production under Geoffrey Hoffman’s
direction (he also directed </SPAN>Kreitzer’s<SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN">
<SPAN lang=EN>“Freakshow” in 2008), the audience is not allowed to linger on one
possibility more than another.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=3><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Laurel Hoffman as Jolene is a scowling, confrontational, perpetually
pacing piece of work – a complicated composite of unrefined bravado, blind
anger, survival instincts gone awry, and denial.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She takes on the awkward physicality of
someone absolutely uncomfortable in her own skin and even less comfortable in
her surroundings. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While Charlize
Theron won the Academy Award for transforming herself into the </SPAN><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND: white; COLOR: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Daytona
Beach prostitute, Hoffman’s portrayal is thoroughly </SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US">transfixing.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US"><FONT
size=3>Lesser performances by some members of the ensemble who play multiple
roles somewhat dilute the play’s poignancy and Hoffman’s powerful
portrayal.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Not everyone seems up to
the task of delivering this complicated piece of
storytelling.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US">The
playwright doesn’t help matters by </SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>raising too many questions about the making of a serial killer and the
injustices in our judicial system – and not answering them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She also offers interesting but aimless
commentary about our culture’s fascination with crimes of this nature and
introduces us to but fails to follow up on the hangers-on who seek notoriety or
money at Jolene’s expense.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><FONT size=3>Still, this story is intriguing and Hoffman’s performance
is riveting.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=3><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Between Hoffman’s Jolene and </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Tracee Patterson’s Medea, presented earlier
this summer in Mamaí Theatre Company’s inaugural offering, audiences have been
treated to some superb acting and given plenty to think about.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Misbehaving middle-aged men have been
given two more reasons to watch their backs.</SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN">
<SPAN lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BACKGROUND: white" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="COLOR: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>“Self Defense” runs through
</FONT><A name=_GoBack></A><FONT size=3>July 27 at convergence-continuum’s The
Liminis Theatre, 2438 Scranton Rd., Cleveland.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tickets, which range from $10 to $15,
can be purchased by calling 216-687-0074 or visiting </FONT><A href=""><FONT
color=#3b5998 size=3>www.convergence-continuum.org</FONT></A><FONT
size=3>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>