Couch Wisdom with Dingo

okay, here is what i thought of the production of A Lie of the Mind. i had a chance to let everything process and this may or may not be put into an edition of The Indy.

if you have something to say, say it. i probably wont give a rats ass what you think, but you are more than welcome to start a discussion.

This past weekend Illinois State University’s School of Theatre presented a production of “A Lie of the Mind” by Sam Shepard held in the Westhoff Experimental Theatre. A play that is full of symbolism, family issues and patriotism that can be difficult for even the most experienced production team. This production struggled to tell a difficult story with only the experience of relatively young actors and designers. The cast of the production was marked by a few beautifully formed relationships and lone individuals striving for a goal that is unattainable without the help of the ensemble. The husband/wife relationship of Baylor (Carlo Garcia) and Meg (Susan Fletcher) was not only believable, but also held to a standard of truth that is needed in any play by Shepard. Beth (Laura Fudacz) and Frankie (Ricky Rodriguez) relayed passion and rationality-albeit twisted-behind their two characters that traps them together at the end of the play. Jake (J. R. Wroblewski) peeked his performance within the first few moments of play and could not attain the dramatic arc needed to show the journey of this troubled individual. The technical aspects of the show were categorized with both solid work and some hit-and-miss. The lighting done by Amy Campion struggled in the close quarters of Westhoff. Either actors had shadows across their faces or the lights were so mechanical in nature that it separated the audience from the world of the play. Even with the beautiful wide screen that had projected colors to help set the mood for each scene it failed to do more than paint colors on the wall. Matt Jordan did well with the small stage the was provided for him. His minimalist set design allowed for the most amount of playing space that can be gleaned inside Westhoff; but hindered cleanly executed entrances and exits by the actors. Joanna Melville was true to the play with her costume design and completed her task but left details like the progression of Frankie’s wound and others out of the production. Mary Pat Springer’s fluid sound design allowed each scene to flow into the next. P. Marston Sullivan had beautiful pictures on stage filled with emotion and intention, but the pace of the production jarred the viewer out of the world of the play. The division of the three acts and the shifting from scene to scene was staccato in action and drive. His struggle to put a play of this magnitude on its feet with such a young cast and crew may have been insurmountable but it was a commendable attempt.

posted by dingo @ 12:32:00 AM