| And it is pronounced as if the end of the word is ‘Anna’—- I found it a deeply moving story pieced together of fractured lives. I loved that it challenged me to find and accept the beauty and purity of Jamie Brewer’s performance on its own terms rather than my own. There is a brilliance in that. All are strong but the Tony-nominated Deidre O’Connell turns in textured line readings that inspire. The letter monologue of Will Dagger will start many conversations. And Harold Surratt’s Lot is a tortured soul that strings them together in unlikely ways. The designs are sparse but not altogether minimal. The effective turntable actually recalls the design of FUN HOME at the Public. Blocking is noticeably stagnant at times, but it underscores the stillness of some dialogue. My one quibble is the dialects, or lack. I grew up about an hour from Corsicana, TX. Nothing of there dialects took me to that setting. All had lived in Corsicana their entire lives. Good East Texas dialects would have added another layer. And, yes, I read the threat on this board a week or so ago. |
