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Georgeanna Smith and Matthew Roland in NoExit Performance’s Middletown.
NoExit Performance: Middletown q On one level, this is about a handful of people in a small town. John (Matthew Roland), a long-time resident, is “medically lonely,” while Mary (Georgeanna Smith), a newcomer, hopes her husband will manage to be in town for the birth of their son. John and Mary meet by chance at the public library. Through their sometimes funny, sometimes painful interactions and those of their neighbors, we realize the precious ordinariness of being in the middle of the birth-to-death spectrum. On another level, this is about the “before, after, during” of all of life on Middletown’s patch of Earth, from the rocks and trees and spirits of the long-gone Native people to a contemporary astronaut observing his hometown from his rocket ship, and more. Any of us could be a resident of Middletown, too. And on the meta level, the playwright pokes affectionate fun at wordsmiths and theatre-goers. Director Michael Burke and his team took Will Eno’s exquisitely layered script and illuminated it by adding their own beautiful layers of staging. Every detail is perfectly chosen, from the cop’s subtly sparkling tie to the walls of distressed wood window frames, and from the yearning background music to the dreamy lighting illustrating the clouds that “Middletown is known for.” Each of the eight actors is solidly in control of the rich language and completely believable in his or her role(s), even under the microscope of the very intimate temporary theatre space in the Indy Indie Artist Colony lobby. I laughed, I cried, I was healed. Opening night was sold out and with only six performances total, be sure to buy tickets in advance. — HOPE BAUGH April 10-12 and 18-19 at Indy Indie Artist Colony
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The Mountaintop w David Alan Anderson and Tracey N. Bonner take IRT audiences to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s figurative mountaintop in an intense two-hander. Katori Hall’s script is an unexpected exploration of King’s life and legacy that invites audiences to glimpse an imagined fraction of time lost to history. Set on the eve of his assassination at the Lorraine Motel, King (Anderson) encounters a spirited maid (Bonner) who challenges our notions of the civil rights leader. The duo has a powerful and believable chemistry that carries the story through each twist. The production beautifully unpacks the humanity of a man elevated to sainthood. Director Courtney Sale creates heartbreaking moments of clarity that allow space to interpret King as both sinner and saint. What’s left is a call to action that echoes King’s great orations, which still resonate today. Yet the play about a preacher refrains from being preachy as it reflects on where we have come and where we are going together. — KATELYN COYNE Through April 27 at Indiana Repertory Theatre Hoosier Bard: Arden of Fevershame e Did Shakespeare write part of this play, first printed in 1592 and long attributed to the prolific Anonymous? Maybe. The language makes me think of him. Regardless, the story is edge-of-your-seat interesting, based on a love-and-lust murder that really happened in the 1500s. It’s dark and violent, with great fight choreography, but funny, too, because the murderers are so serious about their narcissism in the name of love. Director Terri Bourus and the large cast — a nice mix of professional actors and students — make it easy to understand what’s happening, with several offering particularly nuanced work. Jaddy Ciucci is formidable as Alice Arden, the privileged yet dissatisfied wife. And it’s intriguing to see Ben Asaykwee — perhaps best known for his bawdy, eye-winking roles — play a weary assassin-for-hire who’s just doing his best to stay menacing and get the job done. The actors don’t ever fully leave the set except at intermission, which allows for breathless pacing and makes the two hours fly by. Why not five stars? A few of the acting choices and one or two of the costumes didn’t work for me. Also I’m still trying to decide if the set is simply a goodenough clutter hampered by venue limitations — or a brilliantly layered homage to the production’s many influences.
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— HOPE BAUGH Continues April 11-12 at Central Library
Visit nuvo.net/stage for complete event listings, reviews and more. NUVO // 100% RECYCLED PAPER // 04.09.14 - 04.16.14 // VISUAL 17