On a blank stage with only three black chairs and two black wooden boxes, Brown students showed how creative they could be.
"Three Chairs, Two Cubes," a festival presented by Production Workshop, features five student-written, directed and acted plays, each running about 20 minutes long and using only three chairs and two cubes as props. The restriction of the set requires that special attention be paid to the script, the relationship between writer and director and the nuances of the acting.
Although some performances are less convincing than others, all five plays successfully entertain and showcase the great talent and commitment that came from all levels of production - from the page to the stage.
The first play, "Sport," by Brendan Pelsue '08 takes place in the stands of a hockey rink. While watching their son's game, a divorced couple engages in a humorous sparring match of words, fighting over visitation rights and blaming each other for their failed marriage. Noreen (Allissa Wickham '09), a typical doting soccer mom, nervously stands by, listening in on the conversation but trying not to interfere.
Tara Schuster's '08 portrayal of Donna, the hostile ex-wife who recently remarried just to spite her ex, is note worthy. Schuster commands the sensibilities of her character, staying true to Donna's abrasive personality without going overboard.
The bizarre "Shhh Shhh & It'll Pass" by Matthew Kelly '06 is based on a unique concept - the twisted relationship between moths and their larvae - and unfolds simultaneously as a piece of performance art and a tragicomedy. The Christmas lights wrapped around the actors who play larvae (Leta Hirschmann-Levy '08, Jen Vafidis '08, Melissa Kagen '09 and Karin Freed '09), the butterfly-like dance movements of the moths and the buzzing sounds in the background set the right mood. The authoritative words of the moths (Laura Atkinson '07 and Jordan Elkind '08), spoken in unison, also command the audience's attention. Despite the great theatrics of the performance, by its end, the play's themes are still unresolved and unclear.
The third play, "Two Daughters" by Jessica Marrero '07, is in stark contrast to its humorous predecessors. The drama centers on Kay (Tara Vega '07), a biracial orphan who unexpectedly shows up at the doorstep of her stepsister Scarlett's (Jessica Kerry '08) home to attend her biological mother's funeral. Tension mounts when Kay learns from Scarlett that the mother who had written to her every Sunday was not the warm-hearted person she presented herself to be. A history of familial wounds unfolds with Scarlett and her aging father (Adam Keller '07) as its victims.
Though the play includes potentially deep and complex characters, as presented its plot was predictable and its dialogue not particularly provocative. Nevertheless, Vega's effortless and true portrayal of her character saves the play from being mundane.
Julia Alter's '08 musical "The Red Wheelbarrow" gets the festival's overarching penchant for absurd comedy back on track. The simple but sweet story casts Carl (Andrew Fox '06) as a naive farmer who must choose between his sudden affection for the beautiful but conniving Emma (Olivia Olsen '08) and his longstanding love for his red wheelbarrow. Though the singing was a bit shaky at times, both Fox and Olsen won the audience with their charm and ingenuousness.
The festival finished on a high note with "The Play Room" by Steven Levenson '06. The scene starts out as a pointed conversation between a drunken socialite from Philadelphia (Kelly Dreher '08) and her smooth talking seducer (Boaz Munro '09), but then unexpectedly transforms into a child's game of playing house. The play ends with a surprise that is delightful and suiting.
Though some plays are better written than others, the true strength of each performance lies in the acting and directing. The directors clearly realized the greater meaning of the texts and oversaw production accordingly. The actors understood the motivations of their characters and performed with great honesty. Ultimately, the festival is a celebration of highly-crafted creativity.
"Three Chairs, Two Cubes" has a finale performance at TF Green Hall tonight at 8 p.m.
