ARTS INTERNATIONAL
Editor/Publisher, Bina Sharif
ARTS INTERNATIONAL covers THEATER, FILM, VISUAL ARTS, CUISINE, AND LITERATURE

Friday, August 17, 2012

Eva Heinemann’s Fringe reviews: Once again good plays that ended too abruptly and left me in confusion

1). Barbara Suter’s BEST NIGHT EVER is a present day Noir story where we know who died and who killed her from the start. Peg is a sexy, kinky Blonde (Briana Layon) with a bartender friend (Tiffany Hodges) who warns her about dangerous Jake (Tim Shelton) who has a gay roommate (Ryan Garbayo) who
 always covers for Jake’s misdeeds all because they were baseball buddies in college. A detective (Lou Liberatore) is gathering evidence against Jake.
Since you know who died and killed her, the only excitement is how exactly did she die and why did Jake kill her. The acting more than made up for the limited script. My friend however liked it a lot. Unfortunately I was so uncomfortable by the rickety chair and no air conditioning that it was hard to enjoy anything.
But it was a thrill to see Lou Liberatore whom I have admired since Burn This. Mixed Face that should be Happy

2). Arlene Hutton’s VACUUM has a terrific moral dilemma and dramatic conflict. Gray (Chris Stack) and his wife Amelia (Dana Brooke) have found the cure for cancer. Trouble is his brilliant wife had an accident and has trouble remembering names of things and is content as a housewife and gardener.
Johnathan (David Arrow) an unscrupulous womanizer with a slew of exes (Lynne Halliday, Polly Adams) and current flame (Katie Wren Huard) whom he keeps on the payroll of his nefarious skin care business.
Johnathan wants to use the cure for cancer to improve your skin rather than life and the reason is pretty scary. Will Gray give in for riches or keep his integrity and debts? Can he give up his love for old intellectually equal Amelia and love this new version? Everyone comes to a realization at the end. This was a first rate production with a clever set (Josh Smith) and well thought out costumes (Margarita Delgado).
HAPPY FACE but it did have a tacked on ending with an inexplicable monologue.

No comments:

Post a Comment