Sock & Buskin fares well in the face of theatrical challenge with its production of "Anna in the Tropics" by Nilo Cruz MFA'94.
The play chronicles the effect Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" has on the lives of Cuban cigar rollers in Tampa, Fla. Hiring a lector to stand before the factory workers and read classic novels is an enduring tradition, and, as lector Juan Julian reads, the audience soon discovers that there is a straightforward and obvious parallel between Tolstoy's plot and that of Cruz.
Literature is almost its own character in the play, and its presence in the cigar factory allows the play's characters to talk about personal and intimate issues they wouldn't normally be compelled to bring up. Factory owners Santiago and Ofelia reaffirm their love for each other while their daughter, Conchita, and her husband, Palomo, discuss the nature of their respective adulterous affairs - all because of "Anna Karenina."
All the while, Santiago's half-brother from the North, Chester, plots to radically change and possibly take over Santiago's cigar company.
Producing a show in which most of the characters are not native speakers of English is always a challenge - casting actors who do not share the ethnicity of their characters is particularly tricky. Fortunately, every character is reasonably believable. Some cast members command Spanish accents better than others and are generally convincing. But the stark contrast between Chester's New York accent and everyone else's highlights instead of compensates for any dialectal difficulties.
The play's long lines, full of colorful adjectives and complex metaphors, are also tough to handle, but do not trip up the actors at all.
Lucy DeVito '05, who plays the excitable and whimsical Marela, nails humor, physical comedy being her forte. She transforms relatively humorless lines into show-stealing punch lines. That's not to say she isn't able to perform serious scenes - in fact, she does so very well. Dan Hernandez '06 as Santiago follows suit with similar talents.
Thomas Lipinski '04.5, as the lector Juan Julian, radiates the glow of a classic film star, and even physically resembles screen legend Clark Gable with his pencil-thin mustache, suspenders and slicked back hair. He has a notable chemistry with Angelica Scherer '06, who plays Conchita, which surfaces in their steamy, sensual and forbidden love scenes together.
The show's sound, by Designer Benjamin Samit '06, is outstanding. In fact, the production seems incomplete in its silent moments. Every trickle, every gunshot and every foghorn is integral to the play's success.
"I never knew silence could have so much weight," Ofelia says during the play. In this show, seemingly deliberate silences have weight to the point of dragging the show down with them.
Music and song play a key part in the show, whether a Latin beat or classical tune. The cast often sings to create a mood for a scene - sometimes this is effective, but other times it kills the show's momentum and energy.
The set, by Michael McGarty, is exceptional. McGarty makes use of every inch of the stage, from the floor to the ceiling, where he creates a detailed, realistic and aesthetically pleasing representation of a cigar factory.
All in all, "Anna" is a winner - with the exception of the play's very last and cringe-worthy moment, in which faux snowflakes fall from above.
Herald staff writer Jen Sopchokchai '05 edits the Arts & Culture section. She can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.
