con-con’s ‘The Casual Tree Ward’ a tedious treatise on truth and faith

 

Bob Abelman

Cleveland Jewish News, The News Herald, The Morning Journal

Member, American Theatre Critics Association

 

The blurb promoting the world premiere production of Robert Hawkes’ one-act “The Casual Tree Ward” reads:

 

“The Goddess Freyja (or is she?) is tending to Yggdrasil, the World Ash Tree (or is it?), trying to protect it from increasing drought. An itinerant water-bearer tries to persuade Freyja to go with him to where water is plentiful. She refuses. Does the world really depend on this single tree, or is this a self-generating myth? All is made clear (or is it?).”

 

The key question not asked is “huh?”

 

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