Plainsong
Written by Eric Schmiedl
Adapted from novel by Kent Haruf
Directed by Bries Vannon
Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice (map)
thru March 8 | tickets: $15-$20 | more info
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A darker shade of pale
Signal Ensemble Theatre presents
Plainsong
Review by Kat Hey
“Plainsong” the book is a beautifully taut and stark look at the characters in a forlorn town, Novelist Kent Haruf created characters that wade through grief, loneliness, and narrow perceptions. It is a huge challenge to recreate the layers of such a great book on the stage. With Playwright Eric Schmiedl’s adaptation, Signal Ensemble does a valiant job of bringing the characters to life in a meditative style, punctuated by bursts of naturalism and violence. But in a 2-hour production ,there is not enough time to flesh out every nuance or motivation of each of the eight major characters. Therein lies the conundrum. Various narrators, who describe the scenes and the emotions of the characters, introduce the scenes. It is more of a distraction than a colorful narration, adding length without the reward of layered depth..
Barbara Roeder Harris gives one of the spotlight performances in the dual roles of Mama Roubideaux and Mrs. Stearns. As Mama Stearns she emits a cruelty and selfishness brought on by being unloved and abandoned herself. Harris is a trailer park nightmare in a ratty robe, puffing on a cigarette. The scene between her and Stenholt seethes with tension. Harris is gleefully crusty as lonely old lady who befriends the Guthrie boys when they come to collect for the paper. This character would be a person that kids are told to avoid, but Harris gives the character sweetness and connects with Bobbie and Ike as a refuge in their motherless lives.
It’s always a gamble using real children to play child characters and it pays off with Edwards and Manning. These roles are not for ‘cute moppets’ and require a maturity to pull off. As children who are the observers in this tale, the characters are written simply and that is the key to how well they are played. The boys’ interactions have a deceptive innocence with the adults and the bullies who make growing up a trial of confusion and fear. Edwards has a fine intensity in one particularly disturbing scene.
Victoria Roubideaux (Stenholt) finds shelter at the home of two old bachelor brothers running a ranch. Jon Steinhagen (Raymond) and Vincent Lonergan (Harold) are the heart of this desolate story – a heart that should be fleshed out more than it is. The family that the McPheron brothers form with Victoria is the story’s salvation. I yearned to see more of the brothers blossoming and revealing caring gentle souls under the rough rancher exterior. Lonergan’s expressive comic performance gives the play much needed heart. Steinhagen’s performance personifies the strong silent type and reveals the tender protective in a splendid manner.
There are strong performances from Mary Jo Bolduc (Mrs. Beckman, Aunt Joann) and Rudy Galvan (Russell Beckman) that feel like random vignettes. Unfortunately the Beckman family is so broadly drawn, with no layered motivations for their monstrous behavior. The same applies to Greg Wenz (Dwayne). He is the father of Victoria’s child and is broadly drawn as a party-hearty grunge dude with a chauvinistic bent. Wenz does a fine job, but the performance is a throwaway that attempts to serve as a back-story for Victoria’s troubles.
The aforementioned narration could have been cut or told by one character. (It might have a much more emotional punch if told from Victoria’s or the McPheron’s perspective,) The bar scenes and Tom’s random one night stand serve no purpose in furthering the tale, and including these superfluous scenes dilutes the beautiful story. Though they’re in the book, there has to be some creative trimming to make this a truly successful adaptation. Perhaps making an amalgam of some of the peripheral characters would tighten the production and enhance the central characters. In the end, the cast is stellar but there are too many characters and narrative interruptions vying to fill in the story.
Rating: ★★
Plainsong continues through March 8th at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $15-$20, and are available online through Vendini.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at SignalEnsemble.com. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission)
Photos by Johnny Knight
artists
cast
Ariel Begley (Sharlene, Arlene), Mary Jo Bolduc (Mrs. Beckman, Aunt Joann), Jack Edwards (Bobbie Guthrie), Rudy Galvan (Russell Beckman), Sara Gorsky (Judy, Randy, Nurse), Jordan Scott Johnson (Murphy), Barbara Roeder Harris (Mrs. Stearns, Mama Roubideaux), Jordan Scott Johnson (Murphy), Vincent Lonergan (Harold McPheron), Vincent P. Mahler (Lloyd Crowder, Monroe, Bailey), Cale Manning (Ike Guthrie), Tom McGrath (Buster Wheelwright, Carl, Driver), Dennis Newport (Mr. Jackson, Dr. Martin, Schramm), Erin Myers (Ella Guthrie), Joseph Stearns (Tom Guthrie), Jon Steinhagen (Raymond McPheron), Elizabeth Stenholt (Victoria Roubideaux), Greg Wenz (Dwayne), Philip Winston (Irving Curtis, Mr. Beckman, Hardin), Katie Worthington (Maggie Jones)
behind the scenes
Bries Vannon (director), Michelle Carlene Roth (stage manager), Buck Blue (set designer), Julie E. Ballard (lighting design), Carla Hamilton (costume designer), Anthony Ingram (sound designer, original music), Mary O’Dowd (props designer), Tyler Rich (fight choreographer, violence design), Johnny Knight (photos).
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