“Brenda” at the New York International Fringe Festival at the Robert Moss Theater
“Brenda” at the New York International Fringe Festival at the Robert Moss Theater Written by Cory Finley Directed by Ashley Rodbro Reviewed by David Roberts and Joseph Verlezza Theatre Reviews Limited
Cory Finley's “Brenda” is a delectable Dean Koontz genre ghost story on steroids. After visiting his mother’s grave, Wallace’s (Sam Bolen) unconscious wish to revivify his mother gets “sealed with a kiss” and he begins to change places with his mother: Brenda (Deidre Madigan) comes back to life and Wallace takes her place in the land of the dead. The plot is complex and somewhat convoluted but focuses on his co-worker and would-be girlfriend Jen’s (Emily Kron) effort to return to the grave with Brenda and “jump” Wallace back from the grave.
The plot involves love triangles, allusions to erotic asphyxiation, and a beer-loving, sex-addicted roommate Mike who gets “jumped” by Brenda’s dead husband Cliff (Keith Herron) while on the road trip to hell.
The superb cast handles this intriguing concept with ease and provides some great humor along the way. Characters are well defined and the actors carve incredible detail into their images without creating caricatures. Bill Coyne as Mike is a perfectly delusional brawn and actual no brain persona that avoids stereotype adopting sensitive and zealous behavior as the escape. Sam Bolen is the wide eyed grieving Wallace, lonely and alone and recently orphaned, coaxing every ounce of self-pitied, confused energy from his transforming soul. Emily Kron as the recovering alcoholic Jen, teeters on the edge, always exposing her needs, insecurities and emotional turmoil and managing to take control. Keith Herron supplies all the necessary selfish, aggressive, egotistical behavior needed to capture the desperate Cliff. It is Deidre Madigan who commands the stage as she appears as Brenda, with an intelligent, diversely emotional and complicated performance. She is a tough, strong, steady, wounded individual that suffers from unintentional mental abuse. In every turn her face is flooded with pain, fear, relief, or confusion in memories that are convincingly real. The talented and cohesive ensemble delivers a delightful and interesting evening of theatre deftly directed by Ashley Rodbro.
BRENDA
“Brenda” is presented by The New York International Fringe Festival at the Robert Moss Theater, 440 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor (Astor Place and East 4th Street).
All performances of “Brenda” take place at on the following schedule: Sunday August 18th at 7:00 p.m.; Friday August 23rd at 9:15 p.m.; and Saturday August 24th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $18.00 at the door and $15.00 for advance purchase. The running time is 1 hour and 30 minutes. For more information about the show and the cast and creative team, please visit www.brendatheplay.com For more information about the 17th Annual New York Fringe Festival visit www.FringeNYC.org.
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Saturday, August 17, 2013
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