I love when new shows appear. Shakespeare will always be in fashion, but well-written plays for contemporary theater are few and far between.
Centerstage is running the new play, Hearts, by Willy Holtzman, through December 2nd and the script is witty and humorous, full of energy and emotion, and altogether pleasing (note I said script).
It focuses on the relationships of four long-time friends after they return from War World II. The play follows their lives, flashing back to their battle experiences, as they connect to reminisce and play the card game, Hearts.
When the words are put into motion, the actors lack the vigor of the text. During the war, a time of turmoil and struggle, these men were in battle,. However, I didn’t feel their pain. When they returned, were meeting girls and were moving on from the terrors of war, I still didn’t feel their joy. When character Donald Waldman meets his future wife dancing, I didn’t feel connected to the moment. I know this might sound ridiculous, but actors spend great amounts of time developing personal abilities to make sure an audience feels what they “feel”. As an audience member, I want to be lost in the play and not hinking about what I'm going to eat when I get home.
Granted, it was a preview night, the first time these actors were performing for new faces, and, well, they have dual roles; meaning the same actor plays two or more parts. So, Donald’s wife is played by fellow comrade, Ruby. So, connecting to that moment might be difficult
I can definitely see the challenges, I just hope they iron them out…the writing is too good for a poor review.
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2 comments:
This makes me want to go to the theater for some reason. You do a really great job at explaining everything and even though you feel the acting was poor, I still would want to go see it because of what you say about the writing. Made me think about something I would normally never have considered. Erica S.
So the script is good, but the acting still needs to be fine-tuned? That's a pretty fair review. It sounds like an interesting story. I can imagine the difficulty of playing two different characters; imagine having to assume two different personalities on the same stage! That sounds tough for any actor. I hope it gets better.
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