What to Listen For
Written by Kathleen Tolan
Directed by Adam Goldstein
at Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis (map)
thru July 6 | tickets: $15-$20 | more info
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World premiere takes on isolation and loss
Side Project Theatre presents
What to Listen For
Review by Kat Hey
There is so much to be said of loneliness and how far a person will go to fill the void. I would venture to say that most of us had imaginary friends and perhaps the scruffy man on the train is talking to his imaginary friend. We call it schizophrenia; he may call it “Bob”. Side Project Theatre serves up an interesting take on isolation and loss with What to Listen For.
Tolan’s script takes quantum leaps through time by way of Margaret conjuring up Freud, Mahler, Toscanini, Schoenberg, and Glen Gould. It is a lot to chew on, much less digest. Each of these historic figures appears to explain the gaps in each other’s lives: Mahler had to forgive his wife for an affair and heal the wounding grief over his daughter’s death, so he contacts Freud during a vacation and a bond is formed, enabling Mahler to write his Symphony Number 10.
This connection is pretty straightforward as far as to why Margaret would conjure them up in her head. It gets interesting when her burgeoning relationship with a librarian (Spencer Meeks) wades into the same fantasies. The librarian has no name and yet shares the closest relationship through shared fantasies. Allen spends a lot of the play looking wistful because there isn’t much else for her to do. It is a flaw of the character not being fully present that obscures Margaret.
Despite weaknesses in the script, there are a number of strong performances. Meeks gives a sweet portrayal of his character’s longing and understanding of the fantasy characters. He helps to keep Margaret grounded in reality while fleshing out her glimpses into the lives of the famous men and their heartbreak. Andrew Bailes plays Freud with a light touch. He does not meander into the stereotypical portrayal-thankfully. Freud is given a humanity that is absent in other renderings. Aram Monisoff gives a nuanced performance as the heartbroken Mahler. There is a spot of whimsy from Robert L. Oakes as The Critic, who shows up in Margaret’s bedroom window to dispense pithy observations on her visions. Also enjoyable is David Prete as yet another tortured genius, Glen Gould.
One gets the general idea of what Tolan is trying to relay, but the direction and staging turn what could be an ebullient bio fantasy into a bit of a fizzle. It feels like a Surrealist exquisite corpse versus a tangible storyline. The characters are not relatable or as sympathetic as they should be. In all, What to Listen For is too much material to put into an intelligible form in 75 minutes.
One other thing that really is amiss in this play is the live music. If the character is supposed to be a virtuoso violinist, either get an actress who plays like a genius or use a soundtrack. The whole play alludes to Hannah’s gift on the violin and it is not Duray’s strong suit. I managed to keep my jaw from dropping as the notes scratched the air. The piano playing suffers a similar fate not because of the player but the instrument is out of tune. This show is aiming for erudite and intellectual flair, but it would be better to go the simpler route and allow the audience to form a bond with the characters.
If you are a fan of Freud or Mahler, or want to see some cool staging, you might derive some pleasure from What to Listen For. Also, the relationship between Margaret and the librarian is sweet and holds potential. Though not the worst way to spend 75 minutes, you may still want to put some thought into the prospect.
Rating: ★★
What to Listen For continues through July 6th at Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $15-$20, and are available by phone (773-340-0140) or online through BrownPaperTickets.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at TheSideProject.net. (Running time: 75 minutes without intermission)
Photos by Scott Dray
artists,
cast
Holly Allen (Margaret), Andrew Bailes (Freud, others), Julia Rose Duray (Hannah), Spencer Meeks (Boy, others), Aram Monisoff (Mahler), James Munson (Schoenberg), Robert L. Oakes (Herman, Critic), David Prete (Glen Gould)
behind the scenes
Adam Goldstein (director), Sally Dolembo (costume design), Becca Jeffords (lighting design), Casey L. Peek (stage manager), Leah Platt (dramaturgy), Brian Ruby (project coordinator), Sarah JHP Watkins (scenic design, props design), Alyssa White (assistant director), Matt Wills (sound design), Scott Dray (photos)
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