Reviews of Plays I've Seen

                                                                   The Real Thing
                                                        By:


        In the play the Real Thing the two main characters Henry and Annie had a true relationship filled with trouble. Verbally you could hear it through the choice of sarcasm Henry used when Annie decided to do Brodies play. You could also hear Annie’s cry for love when she would turn her back to henry and walk away to the other side of the stage with her arms crossed or swinging down by her hips stiffly when he wouldn’t support her wanting to do Brodies’ play. He couldn’t understand why she would want to do such a terrible play written by and untalented actor. When it wasn’t about the play at all it about her need to feel needed and loved. The way that the co-star in Brodies’ play Billy would make her feel when henry and Annie weren’t together. Annie’s eyes also conveyed the hurt she felt inside. They showed her guilt when she looked into Henrys eyes after she had been with Billy all day and night. She expressed through her non direct communication of vague conversations on the telephone and talking over her shoulder while fidgeting with something in the apartment that she felt very sad about what she had done to Henry but that she didn’t want to feel guilty about it. She knew that it wasn’t bad to need love and attention and she didn’t want to feel wrong for having to go to someone else for it when henry wouldn’t give it to her. Music was played throughout the play as well and that helped they audience to know what was coming up. Slow depressing music was playing when they showed Annie and Billy together and Henry sitting in another spot thinking something was going on but not certain of it and trying to drown his presumptions away with alcohol. Lightening also played a key roll in this play by divulging what we were supposed to look at based on the scene and where. There was no dead space in this play either all the actors utilized all of the set that they needed to from front to back and left to right.

        In conclusion if I had a chance to go see this play again I would go in a heartbeat. It had lighthearted humor in it with the 80’s punk rock daughter and with the pie in Brodies face at the end. That was followed by a cheerful smile to Henry from Annie when he said a comment about marriages to actresses gave the play a good outlook on the future after being such a serious play about what women need from men and men need from women. They also used British accents that gave them a very proper and sophisticated sound to themselves. All in all I give the play two thumbs up and encourage those to partake in its wonderful portrayal of men and women and there needs towards and from each other. I also like it because it came along at a time in my life where I was going through the same problems with my boyfriend so I related quit nicely to Annie.







                                                             The Credeaux Canvas
                                                 By:


        This play had to have been the most moving piece of art I have ever seen in my entire life. Amelia, the girlfriend of Jamie, was portrayed with such drama and heart you feel it in every word that Jaime St. Peter, the actress portraying Amelia, said. Through out the play Jaime St. Peter expressed through the fidgeting of clenching her fists that she was stressed about the situation. And her constant movement all over the stage with her head tilted to the floor that she had some real reservations about being an accomplice in Jamie’s’ scheme to scam an art conasewer. Jaime St. Peter also had a way of speaking that she could make her voice quiver with ease when she was shaky about posing for the painting. She also cried with ease when she revealed to Jamie that she wasn’t in love with him that she was in love with his roommate Winston. The way that she quickly dropped her outfit when the appointing was to take place and squinted her nose and bit her lip to show her anxiety towards the whole situation. Then when it came to talking to Winston on a personal level in the play before he started to paint her she spoke with ease. Almost as if it was really her life up there for the audience to see and her passion for the character came from her own personal experience. I also thought it ironic that they played ‘I Can See Right Through You’ just before Amelia and Winston get naked and have their heart to heart talk and love scene. Almost implying that they can see right through each other to the true people that they are and have some internal connection. So that was a good choice in music to accompany the spectacular performance.

        In conclusion this play in my mind was an incredible piece of art. It told a story common to those of there age and the struggles that teenagers go through when it comes to love and money and how they choose to resolve their problems. Not only did Jaime St. Peter do an awesome job portraying Amelia but Michael McMillian and Jarrod Fry also played their parts to a perfection with as much heart and soul as 3 actors could put into one two hour long production. If in my life I ever get the chance to be an actress on stage and got to pick my role I would pick the roll of Amelia.







                                                                      The Serpent
                                                       By:

        A very deep portrayal of history and religion put together using as little verbal communication as possible. This play, however not the best I have seen, did pose the question, through their very unprofessional way, does the violence of yesterday and today have to do with Adam and Eve and what they start in motion many thousands of years ago? They actors/actresses did not consist of main characters, a plot, or climax. Instead it showed a time in history through various timed movements in slow motion that impacted our lives greatly. It showed a story of David and Goliath and Adam and Eve not for the purpose of being politically correct or giving us a historical accurate depiction of that time but instead a depiction of the consequences that came from one wrong decision. The actors/actresses wore specific outfits made of all white to stand for the purity of humanity while moving around in as little light as possible to give the effect of evil. They took complete use of their stage and spared no room, they also utilized the audience to keep them interested in what they were trying to say. Though not all together done in the greatest of taste the play did seem to have a strong message that without much verbal communication makes its audience think about what it has just saw. They used loud clear voices when they did speak, with the help of spot lights and certain phrases that were used over and over gave the words they did speak that much more power. Their eye contact with the audience was incredible, as they wanted you to know and understand what was going on. They also used their hands not to fidget with but to help describe and say what their words did not.

        In conclusion this play may not have been the best one that I have ever seen however I can say that I was thinking when I stepped out of the theater. It impacted me without the use of many words. So it goes to show that sometimes it’s not about what you do say but also about what you don’t say. Makes the statement believe more of what you see and only have of what you hear because actions speak louder than words seem as true as the gospel word. I wouldn’t recommend this play to anyone who did not have a completely open mind to the different aspects of art and speech but to those who can understand intended meanings and hidden messages I do recommend this play ideally.





                                                                  Fuddy Meers
                                                     By:

        Very appropriate title for a very fascinating and enlightening play. The character of Claire was played with ease. Almost as if the actress herself had no idea what was happening in this characters mind. That seemed to add the questionable tone to her voice when she spoke. She had no trouble looking directly at the audience and including us in on her personal thoughts about what she couldn’t remember. Claire’s’ lack of costume change also adds to the creative touch of the play. It expresses the lack of time she doesn’t realize she has and also that the other know they have. The way Claire hangs on to the book that her husband made her when she first developed the disease shows her need to hang on to something in a world where she feels she has nothing. Though the story was very touching and truly sad a tremendous amount of humor was added that not only caught the attention of the audience but also kept it while the story of why Claire had no memory unfolded. With mama’s lack of coherent speech, that was just plain perfection in speech control, to Binky the filthy swearing puppet, mixed with the pot head son and the way to pleasant for anyone’s good second husband the play seemed in all a well rounded piece of comedic genius. They all spoke with amazing clarity even mama who was suppose to be unclear. Not one character ever had his/her back to the audience making the audience that much more welcome feeling. Plenty of alliteration was used with similes for humor. Accompanied by a very well put together set, with lighting hitting only what the audience needs to see and music to enhance the flash backs, that Claire keeps having of her father and the dogs and the carnival music all create this wonderful masterpiece of theater.

        In conclusion, if you could not already tell I very much enjoyed this play. Not as much as I enjoyed the Credeaux Canvas but it ranks very high up there with it. The humor caught me from the beginning in the fact that her husband is like a male cheerleader with his fake all day long smile and kept me till the end where mama hurt Binky. I would by far recommend this play to anyone looking to enjoy a night of serious but lighthearted comedy.