|
Regional Reviews: Boston Dusk Rings a Bell
Merrimack Repertory Theatre presents the New England premiere of Dusk Rings a Bell by Stephen Belber (The Power of Duff, Carol Mulroney) under the direction of Michael Bloom, who recommended it to Artistic Director Charles Towers. Having worked on a reading of the play before its Off-Broadway premiere (2010), Bloom has an affinity for the two-hander that shows in his thoughtful staging that pays attention to minute details that help us come to know the characters. The format—they spend as much time directly addressing the audience through the fourth wall as they do talking to each other—brings us into the world of the play, as if we are their intimate confederates. What they cannot share with each other, they share with us. However, that is one of the problems I have with the play; that Molly (D'Arcy Dersham) and Ray (Todd Lawson) testify to us that they want connection, yet maintain so much physical and verbal distance from one another. Both characters bare their souls in their monologues, but are not as forthcoming in their scenes together. Ray, at least, is trying to be more in touch with his feelings and let them be known as part of his work-in-progress recovery from his past. We learn that he is an ex-con who participated in a heinous crime a couple of years after his brief encounter with Molly. Tormented by his actions (or inaction) in that event, and trying to focus on the future, Ray attempts to transform through a program known as Restorative Justice. Don't worry if you are unfamiliar with the concept because he gives Molly a primer on it, but Lawson's delivery of that aspect is strangely rote and it comes across as didactic. Although she has a divorce on her resumé and is childless, Molly has achieved some professional success as a public relations executive with CNN in Washington, DC. However, she has never been able to totally detach herself from her childhood affliction as a stutterer. In fact, she returns to a summer cottage at Bethany Beach, Delaware, where she secreted a letter she wrote at the age of fifteen to her future self, full of hopes and dreams of a life after stuttering. It was during that summer that she "cured" herself of the impediment and shared a passionate sunset on a lifeguard stand with Ray. Both events have stayed with Molly and weigh heavily on how she sees herself at this moment in time. That Ray turns out to be the handyman/caretaker of the cottage presents an opportunity for them to return to yesteryear to look for some answers. Molly has a boatload of questions for Ray, most of which he answers patiently, until he doesn't. It begs credulity that he puts up with her interrogation for as long as he does. She grills him relentlessly about his part in the crime, apologizing for her "passion" about the subject, but it is unclear where her alleged passion originates. Conversely, she has a more difficult time figuring out what questions she hopes to answer for herself by going back to the beach, and ultimately appears to be unchanged in the end. She considers her "worst thing" to be that she never takes a risk and her record remains intact. It is obvious that Ray's "worst thing" is his crime, but he keeps putting one foot in front of the other to move forward. Dersham gives Molly self-deprecating charm, but can also raise her hackles convincingly, whether from passion or insecurity. Lawson conveys folksy likability and plays Ray as an even-keeled guy who is somewhat uncomfortable in his own skin. Together, they effectively navigate the currents that Belber creates for the couple, realistically drawing closer or backing away as they explore the possibility of romantically reuniting after all these years. For the world of the play, scenic designer Wilson Chin brings in a little stretch of sand and water in front of a boardwalk, Carter Miller provides evocative ocean sounds, and Jeff Adelberg spotlights whichever character has the floor. Costume designer Deborah Newhall makes sure that Lawson looks the part of the off-season caretaker in work boots, jeans, flannel shirt, down vest and baseball cap, while Dersham sports an urban sensibility with a leather jacket, trendy scarf and big, fashionable handbag. Belber succeeds in conjuring up images that resonate, that take us back to the intense and confusing emotions of adolescence. Most of us have memories of events that shaped us, that seem as fresh as if they had happened days ago, rather than decades in the past. He gives us authentic characters who speak to us, but not much else happens. They seem better suited to the page where they can blend with our imaginations and expand, than to the stage where they're not quite full blown. Dusk Rings a Bell, performances through November 16, 2014, at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, 50 East Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA; Box Office 978-654-4678 or www.mrt.org. Written by Stephen Belber, Directed by Michael Bloom; Scenic Designer, Wilson Chin; Costume Designer, Deborah Newhall; Lighting Designer, Jeff Adelberg; Sound Designer, Carter Miller; Stage Manager, Casey Leigh Hagwood; Assistant Stage Manager, Peter Crewe Featuring: D'Arcy Dersham, Todd Lawson
|
