Weathervane stages ‘outstanding’ Edward Albee drama
11/5/2009 - West Side Leader
Director uses ‘superior script’ to lead ‘four outstanding performers’
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| Dede Klein stars as Stevie in Weathervane Playhouse’s production of “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” |
| Photo courtesy of Weathervane Playhouse |
Edward Albee wrote this stunning drama, which received the 2003 Tony Award for Best Script and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Albee has three Pulitzer Prizes and should have received another award for this script.
The story works on several levels. First, this is the story of a family in crisis. Second, “The Goat” seems to be Albee’s attempt at writing a tragedy. Remember the word “tragedy” comes from the Greek “goat song.”
As the play opens, Martin (Richard Worswick) has just celebrated his 50th birthday and received a contract for a billion dollar project. Martin is being interviewed for a TV show about people “who make a difference.” The interviewer is Ross (Vincent Richards), who has been Martin’s friend for 25 years.
The interview doesn’t go well. Preoccupied, Martin misspeaks and often starts word games with Ross. Finally, the truth bubbles to the top. Martin is having an affair.
When Martin confides the infidelity to Ross, he opens the door for his own destruction and the destruction of his wife and son.
Stevie (Dede Klein) is Martin’s wife and his intellectual equal. Their son, Billy (Keith Foster), is bright, sophisticated and gay.
Albee continues to dig into the lives of his characters to confront the taboos of contemporary American cultures: infidelity, homosexuality, incest and bestiality.
Director Derek Davidson helps create the most outstanding production to come to Weathervane in years. Davidson starts with a superior script and four outstanding performers who bring skills, talent and experience to the production. But Davidson has the director’s abilities to dig to the bottom of the performer’s emotional capacities to mine their deep, dark emotions and then to display those emotions on the stage. Davidson is one of the best directors to work at Weathervane.
Davidson directed Klein and Worswick to the finest performances either has brought to a local stage. Worswick never leaves the playing area and never gets a moment to retreat or relax.
Richards works well as the well-meaning but flawed friend.
Foster is a high school senior. Despite his youth, he keeps up with his mature castmates.
This is a superior cast and Davidson brings each to the top of his or her powers.
Without a doubt, this is a modern day tragedy. As surely as “Death of a Salesman” represents tragedy in the early 20th century, Albee has created a 21st century tragedy that erupts from a man’s character flaw.
Scenic designer Alan Scott Ferrall created a functional living room in the Dietz Theater.
Properties designer John Grafton deserves his own curtain call for the props. Because of the violence in the story, the furniture and props have to be substantial or be breakable.
“The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” is not for the cowardly. Albee wrote a script filled with strong profanity. The script contains the most violence to come our way in a long time. By the end of the show, the set has, for the most part, been destroyed and so have the lives of three of the characters.
Martin has made an error when he fell in love the second time. But many people fall in love with those society seems to think are the wrong loves.
Don’t miss this production.
The production contains adult language and mature themes and is not suitable for children. The performance runs about 90 minutes, without an intermission.
For tickets, call (330) 836-2626.
David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
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