Review: ‘Gabriel’ at Stoneham Theatre (Stoneham, MA)

Cast of 'Gabriel'. Photo courtesy Nile Hawver/Nile Scott Shots

This captivating play written by Moira Buffini, takes place during WWII on German occupied Guernsey Island. It tells the story of 10-year-old Estelle, her family and a young man with amnesia who washes up on their shore. When they decide to save his life and shelter him in their home, their own lives are endangered. While this drama is dark and often intense, there are numerous moments of humor that lighten the heavy mood. Director Weylin Symes made creative use of the set with his staging. The detailed living space with a small second floor room above it was designed by Matthew Lazure and was nicely lit by lighting designer Jeffrey E. Salzberg.  

The cast overall was strong in their characters. Thomas Derrah was cunning, ferocious, and sadistic as German Officer Von Pfunz, giving one of the strongest performances in the show. Josephine Moshiri Elwood, as Lillian, was sympathetic as a young Jewish girl hiding her true beliefs so that she doesn’t get sent to a concentration camp. Lake, played by Cheryl McMahon, was realistic and practical, only wanting what is best for the family. As Estelle, Marissa Simeqi, though innocent and naïve of the world she lived in and its complexity, was compassionate without reserve and a feisty protector of her family. Georgia Lyman, as Jeanne Becquet, dynamically portrayed her complex character as one who must make difficult choices to protect those she loves. She was often the one to break tension with a humorous or sarcastic line which she timed perfectly. Alexander Molina, as Gabriel the young amnesiac saved by Lillian and Estelle, was completely believable and secure in his character. His sincere confusion about who he is and what had happened to him was heartbreaking.

While the cast had good chemistry and seemed to work well with each other, there were a number of instances when they were not actively listening to one another and thus some line flubs occurred. This also may have impacted their accents as well, as those went in and out during the performance. People’s lives are at stake in the story line of this play and yet the pacing seemed to lack a sense of urgency and the tempo, at times, was slow. Increasing the sense of urgency and pacing of the production would have heightened the emotional stakes of the characters and made their portrayals more believable. That being said, I did enjoy the silent acting moments by the actors when they were not directly involved or present in the scene or conversation. It added realism and depth to the production. Unfortunately, the play ended just after the climax leaving many questions unanswered.

Overall, ‘Gabriel’ was an interesting play with admirable performances by the cast and the audience seemed to really enjoy the production despite some hiccups. © Running close to two and a half hours including intermission, ‘Gabriel’ performs at Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main St. Stoneham, until May 14^th. Tickets range $50- $55 Adults, $45-$50 Seniors and $20 Students (with valid ID). For tickets or more information visit www.stonehamtheatre.org or call the box office at 781-279-2200.

Review: The Sleeping Beauty by Boston Ballet (Boston, MA)

Paulo Arrais & Misa Kuranaga. Photo courtesy Liza Voll & Boston Ballet.

Boston Ballet’s production of Marius Petipa’s ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ first premiered in 2005 and is once again enchanting audiences with its classic story, familiar music and sensational dancing. The ballet features majestic music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with choreography by Marius Petipa and additional choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton. It tells the story of Princess Aurora who was cursed as an infant by the Fairy Carabosse. Thanks to the Lilac Fairy, Aurora will not die from this curse, but will instead fall into a deep sleep to only be awakened by a Prince’s kiss. After one hundred years in slumber and with help from the Lilac Fairy, Aurora is found by Prince Desire, who wakes her with a kiss thus breaking the spell. 

The costume and scenic design for this production are by David Walker, with lighting by John Cuff. The detailed backdrops of the set were natural in their color and blended nicely with the more muted tones of the costumes during the Prologue. This allowed for the brighter and richer tones of the King, Queen and Fairies’ costumes to really stand out. The lighting nicely amplified these differences making it clear to the audience who was who in the Royal Court, and in the case of Carabosse and her creatures, who was not welcome.

From the start of the overture Tchaikovsky’s music, played by the Boston Ballet orchestra and wonderfully conducted by Jonathan McPhee, was magical and hushed the chatty audience right away. The prologue featured smooth and flowing movement from the Fairies, their Cavaliers and Lilac Fairy Attendants. Each Fairy demonstrated their unique personality within their solos even though their tempos and dancing varied. Some were sharp, some were bouncy, while others were smooth and delicate. One of the highlights of the Prologue was the incomparable Dusty Button as the Lilac Fairy. She was perfectly in-sync with the music, with each accented note precisely in time with her dancing. She was absolutely stunning. Shortly after her, Carabosse’s creatures, all wearing malicious looking masks, creepily danced around the stage. When they rolled Carabosse, played by Erica Cornejo, on stage in her dark and eerie coach, the moment was both amazing and terrifying. Act one featured a beautiful garland dance by the company to the familiar tune of “Once Upon a Dream”.

Misa Kuranaga, as Aurora, was dazzling, receiving applause after many complex sequences including extended balancing on pointe, boundless leaps and supreme turns. Her facial expressions matched her sixteen year-old character precisely and she danced with joyful gracefulness. While Kuranaga was fantastic throughout, her dancing became stronger over the duration of the ballet. She fully engages her back when using her arms, showing masterful awareness of the body and how movement, no matter how slight, is connected and impacts the rest of the body.  She maintains full control of her movement, lifting her extensions higher and breathing through her transitions, making them just as important as the complex choreography they intertwine.

Act two introduces us to Prince Desire on a hunting expedition in the woods one hundred years after Carabosse’s spell put Aurora to sleep. As Prince Desire, Paulo Arrais was strong and confident in his dancing all while portraying his character’s longing for fulfillment and true love. Kuranaga glowed as Prince Desire’s vision of Aurora. Their partnering was confident and fluid. They truly brought the fairytale magic to life on stage and were entirely mesmerizing. Act three concludes the story with the celebration of the marriage of Princess Aurora and Prince Desire. Their pas de deux was breathtaking to watch and it exemplified their characters’ happiness and love. Arrais once again demonstrated impeccable skill and artistry as he leapt across the stage in a lengthy sequence and completed it with ease as if it took no effort at all.

Boston Ballet in Marius Petipa's 'The Sleeping Beauty'; photo by Liza Voll, courtesy Boston Ballet

Other highlights of act three include Ji Young Chae as Princess Florine and Junxiong Zhao as Blue Bird. She was dainty, but strong with pristine balances, exquisite extensions and exuberant facial expressions. His high flying jumps were energetic and well executed. Their musicality and partnering was fantastic. They were wonderful to watch. The White Cat and Puss’N Boots, danced by Rie Ichikawa and Lawrence Rines, were amusingly delightful to watch. Their cheeky interactions and bouncy “pas de chat”, meaning “step of the cat”, made them an audience favorite for sure. ©   

Though this production runs about 2 hours and 45 minutes including two intermissions, the classic love story and beautiful dancing by the company make this a ballet for the whole family. ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ performs at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA) through May 27^th. Tickets and more information can be found at www.bostonballet.org or by calling the Box Office at 617-695-6955.

‘Paradise’ presented by Underground Railway Theater at Central Square Theater (Boston, MA)

Caitlin Nasema Cassidy & Barlow Adamson in 'Paradise'. Courtesy Central Square Theater

Now on stage at Central Square Theater, presented by Underground Railway Theater, is the world premiere of Laura Maria Censabella’s Paradise. Directed by Shana Gozansky, it features two talented actors portraying compelling and complex characters. Barlow Adamson plays Dr. Guy Royston, a high school biology teacher who wants nothing more than to be back experimenting in the college labs he was blacklisted from. Caitlin Nasema Cassidy plays Yasmeen al-Hamadi, a Muslim-American high school senior from the Bronx, who is intent on getting a full scholarship to Columbia with the hopes of pursuing a career in science. Guided by Dr. Royston, Yasmeen works on a neurobiological experiment to investigate adolescent romantic love. While working together to complete her experiment their beliefs clash, not only about science, but about religion, family, responsibility and obligation and subsequently their lives are transformed.

The classroom set design by Jenna McFarland Lord allowed the audience, who sat on three sides of the stage area, to be very close to the interactions between the characters. The detailed lighting design by Karen Perlow subtly added depth to the scenes, while the sound design by Nathan Leigh kept the changes lively from one scene to the next.

Tensions are high from the start as Yasmeen desperately tries to salvage her 4.0 grade point average after failing her last science test. Cassidy’s portrayal of Yasmeen was very intense. Her mentality, attitude and overall portrayal were all familiarly reminiscent of smart, dedicated students working towards scholarships and an Ivy League school. But her path towards a career as a scientist is compounded by her religious beliefs and obligations and her family responsibility.  Contrarily, Adamson’s portrayal of Dr. Royston made him seem more lackadaisical at the start. But once he started working on the experiment with Yasmeen, his joyous passion for science began to show. Each actor carries on an accent during the production, Adamson’s is Virginian while Cassidy’s is Bronx, New York. While each seemed comfortable in their accent, Cassidy’s faded in and out during the performance. The duo displayed a wonderful teacher-student and mentoring relationship. Additionally, they had strong conversational and comedic timing throughout.  While the script at times dived deep into scientific jargon, the actors grasp of the language and their execution of it made it easier to understand.

Highlights of act two include Dr. Royston’s scientific juju dance in the first scene. The audience found Adamson’s dancing around the stage very amusing. Another highlight was when Yasmeen (Cassidy) sang a section of the Quran for Dr. Royston. The audience was just as raptured with her voice as he was. It was a one of the most beautiful moments in the production.

Though the story line and performances were interesting to watch, a two-person play that runs over two hours with intermission may be a bit long to sit through. © Paradise runs until May 7^th, tickets and more information can be found at centralsquaretheater.org. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 617-576-9278 x1 or by visiting the Central Square Theater box office. Ticket prices begin at $20, Seniors save $5, Students with valid University I.D. are $20 and Under 18 are $15. There are also group discounts.

Hub Theatre Company of Boston performs a powerful production of Bruce Graham’s ‘Coyote on a Fence’ (Boston, MA)

Intensely written by Bruce Graham and inspired by actual events, ‘Coyote on a Fence’ tells the story of two men living on death row. Bobby Rayburn is an illiterate member of the Aryan Brotherhood, who committed a horrendous crime, yet feels no remorse. John Brennan is a college educated, conceited writer who believes he’ll one day win an appeal. This provocative play delves into the themes of racism, morality, crime and punishment. All while asking the audience, what is a life worth?

Cameron Gosselin and Mark Krawczyk.Courtesy Hub Theatre Company of Boston.

Daniel Bourque superbly directed the four person cast through the powerful and poignant script. The set, designed by Megan Kineen, featured two jail cells and along with Bourque’s direction, allowed for a realistic, yet intimate performance. The four person cast includes Cameron Gosselin as Bobby Reyburn, Mark Krawczyk as John Brennan, Robert Orzalli as Sam Fried, and Regine Vital as Shawna DuChamps. Each did an excellent job of portraying their characters. As a writer for the New York Times, Sam Fried (Orzalli), interviews John Brennan about his work writing obituaries for prisoners executed and the prison paper he puts out with letters written by death row inmates. Orzalli was inquisitive and candid; his scenes with John (Krawczyk) were tense and fast moving. Vital was sympathetic as prison guard Shawna DuChamps. As Shawna, she was a strong personality who refused to take any lip or mistreatment from the prisoners. She often commented how she’s just doing her job when she watches prisoners being executed, but it was clear by the end that even though she said she didn’t care, she was impacted by their lives and witnessing each death.

Cameron Gosselin and Mark Krawczyk were incredibly strong as Bobby and John. Watching how their characters clashed in their scenes together was riveting. Even though they were mere feet from the audience, they never faltered from the scene they were in and the character they were portraying. They were rooted in the way their characters thought, spoke, and reacted to others. Their accents and mannerisms were realistic and believable. As Bobby, Gosselin was creepily calm for a guy who was in solitary for over six years and was eventually going to die for his crime. He was set in his ways and beliefs and no one was going to change what he believed to be true. As John, Krawczyk was arrogant and quick-tempered. He firmly believes Bobby to be insane and doesn’t understand why he refuses to fight for his life. Both inmates were similarly damaged by the circumstances that led to their incarceration. Yet, John refused to give into the system and fought hard his whole time there; thinking he might actually win one of his appeals and be released. Whereas, Bobby knew his fate was sealed by what he did and he had accepted the fact that he would never again be a free man.

John spoke one of the strongest lines in the play as he described Bobby’s personality: that the only person who showed him love, also taught him to hate. Another impactful moment came from Bobby, when he told John, reassuring him in a way, for the crime he was convicted of, that predators deserve to die. Each of these phrases is a strong representation of who Bobby was and what he believed. Interestingly enough they represent the circumstances and beliefs of people around the world today. Some are taught to hate others. There are those who believe, like Bobby, that predators who wind up murdered, deserved to die.    

This play, though first produced almost twenty years ago, is still relevant in our American society today. Capital punishment continues to be a hot button issue. From this play we are forced to consider what a life is worth, who truly deserves to die for their crimes, and how do we make that decision. The themes of punishment, justice, morality, race and the greater good prevalent throughout this play will get audiences thinking and conversations started.© Many audience members were overheard after the production saying how well done the production was and that it was one of the best plays they’ve seen in a while.

Due to strong language and subject matter this play is best suited for a mature audience. ‘Coyote on the Fence’ is being performed through April 15^th at First Church Boston located at 66 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA.  For more information and tickets visit http://www.hubtheatreboston.org/. Tickets for all shows are set as “pay-what-you-can”.