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Regional Reviews: Florida - West Coast The Father
My engagement with this play is strengthened by my experience watching a family disintegrate: first the husband dissolved into dementia, and now he wife is following in his footsteps. Recently, decisions were made to remove both from their home of 40-plus years for care in an institutional setting. I had contact, possibly my last, with the wife early in the day I saw The Father. The play is set in Paris, but the story is totally universal, so the decision not to change the setting and details for the translation causes no distancing for an American audience. Our hero André is a man of advanced years and already showing fairly severe signs of adult-onset dementia. His daughter Annie is principally responsible for overseeing his care. Annie is torn between responsibilities to her father and her romantic partner Pierre. All of this is pretty standard issue stuff in dramas about these issues. What is unique about this play is that most of its scenes are written from the confused point of view of André, with a couple of important confrontations that do not include him taking place more realistically. Unfortunately, from the audience's point of view, it gets a little confusing, jumping from reality through the eyes of someone in dementia to more normal reality, and director Candace Artim has not completely solved that problem. Still, even though flawed, this is one of the most gripping presentations I have seen covering this subject matter. Alex Topp gives a marvelous performance as André. His confusion on stage seems so palpable, I was thoroughly surprised to hear him conversing with audience members as I passed by the receiving line. Amity Hoffman is wrenching as she is torn between the needs of her father and her lover. Both roles are well written, giving each actor a lot to work with. Bradley Keville as Pierre, Kelsey Azadian as Laura, David Nields as Man, and Kristin Mazzitelli as Woman are all as good as the material allows them to be, but none of the parts are strongly imagined the way the two central characters are. Candace Artim has directed her cast strongly, giving a positive flow to the drama. I am delighted to report that the overall production values at the Kiwanis Theatre have risen noticeably. A few years ago these productions were stepchildren to those in Stone Hall, the larger performance space, but oh my word, the difference two years has made! Scenic design by Ralph Nurmela is quite lavish and as it disintegrates, scene by scene, as called for by the script, it becomes an integral part of the drama. Georgina Willmott provides suitable wardrobe for all concerned, although heavy demands are not made by the play. Lighting design by Patrick Bedell is effective but unobtrusive. Sound design by Tom Sell is what it needs to be and more—more actors are better able to be heard and understood in this space, which is not always hospitable to vocal production. Jess Groberg is the stage manager and kudos for his management of set changes carried out by large numbers of people in darkness, between scenes. I wish I could report that a full house loudly cheered a fine production, but the audiences seem to have not discovered The Father yet. I hope that the serious subject matter does not scare people off, because this play demands to be seen. It will move you, educate you, and just remind live audiences why movies and TV cannot replicate the experience of theater. Next up in the Kiwanis Theatre is the Pulitzer Prize winning Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz. Manatee Players presents The Father at Manatee Center for the Performing Arts through September 10, 2017, at 502 3rd Ave W., Bradenton FL; 941-748-0111, manateeplayers.com. Cast: André: Alex Topp |
