Two Rooms

Compelling, outstanding ‘TWO ROOMS’ at Charenton/CPT

‘TWO ROOMS,’ now in joint production by Charenton Theatre and Cleveland Public Theatre, is both a love story and a debate. Set in the turbulent 1980s, author Lee Blessing’s taut psychodrama was deservedly named by Time Magazine as "Best Play of the Year" in 1988.

The action switches between two stark rooms. One is the windowless cubicle in Beirut, Lebanon where hostage Michael Wells, a history professor at that city’s American University, lies blindfolded as a captive of an unknown militant Islamic group. The other room is Michael’s study in the United States. As months turn into years and her husband's fate hangs precariously, Mike's wife, Lanie, strips the room to the bare walls in order to feel closer to him and his plight. For her, a thin mat she has dragged into his office represents "all the corners of the room," and where she imagines she can speak with, and even touch, her missing husband.

In this staging, the same space serves for both rooms and is the locale for not only the imaginary conversations between the hostage and his wife, but also for the real talks between Lanie, a reporter and a State Department official.

Walker is the reporter. At the start he appears to be someone who hopes to develop the situation into a major personal accomplishment, maybe a journey to a Pulitzer Prize. Bby the end, we are not sure. Ellen is a coolly, efficient, dispassionate, State Department representative whose task is to keep Lanie off-balance and uninformed of the political machinations which include using her husband as a pawn.

Eventually, the wife speaks out against the government policy and in so doing triggers a series of events that brings the play to its unnerving conclusion.

The script is penetrating and powerful in examining the perspective of individuals , of the public, and of the government. In the end there are no winners, only losers, and the sense of futility and despair that comes when we realize that logic, compassion and fairness are meaningless when dealing with those who would commit barbarous acts with a totally different definition of what it means to be ethnical, and a government that apparently has no conscience or morals of its own.

Charenton’s production, under the keen directorial guidance of Jacqui Loewy, is outstanding. The deliberately slow pace makes the pain of not knowing excruciating. The cast is clear in their motivations, the messages of the story are well etched. Everything, from Michel Ostaszewski’s projections, to Nathan Tulenson’s sound effects, to the sparse set, works.

Jeffrey Grover is chilling in his controlled characterization of Michael. As the play progresses Grover’s eyes become deader and deader. By the end, when he matter-of-factly explains his fate, his eyes are hollow and lifeless.

Sarah Morton, as Lanie, holds her emotions in perfect check. The characterization develops clearly and her frustration and angst are well honed. In the hands of a lesser actress the believability level would have been destroyed as it would have been so easy to overact the role.

Mary Alice Beck is chilling as the State Department official who shows no emotion, is programmed to act like a robot, and is so loyal to the government that she almost appears to be brainwashed.

Though he is quite acceptable as Walker, Jason Markouc sometimes loses contact with the character. Some of his lines sound automatic, rather than meaningful.

The production is being staged in Cleveland Public Theatre’s newest performance space, the former bookstore next to CPT. Though the space is intimate and very appropriate for ‘TWO ROOMS,’ it also has several handicaps. The street noises come through the entrance doors, the applause and laughter from the adjoining theatres leak through, and the sound of patrons coming to and exiting from the second floor Levine Theatre is distracting.

Capsule judgement: Charenton/CPT’s two hour production of ‘TWO ROOMS’ is one of the local season’s highlights. The production deserves sold out houses. Because of the subject matter, don’t assume the show is depressing. It will stimulate the senses and reveal a great deal of the “real” world of politics and the present state of the world.

Both Sides of the Family (Charenton Theater)

‘BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY,’ a thought provoking probe at Charenton

She is an Episcopalian, married to a Jew, who is bringing up her daughter in the Hebrew faith.


He is a Jew, married to a Catholic, who is feeling guilty because he knows little about his heritage, has allowed his son to be brought up out of the faith, realizes that he wants to probe his roots, and is frustrated because he can’t pass on his history to his son.



Thus, we have the premise for Maryann Elder Goldstein’s ‘BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY, which recently had its world premiere at Charenton Theater Company.

The one-hour play, has an interesting format. Its two characters, who are on stage throughout the production, never speak to each other, don’t interact, and only at the end have a passing but significant connection.

Both humorous and poignant, Goldstein has probed not only inter-religious marriage, but the purpose of religion, the importance of tradition, and the bond of family. The dialogue is natural. The humor is appropriate to the situation, not gimmicky. The angst is nicely developed. This is a good script!

The Charenton production, under the adept directing of Jacqi Loewy, is nicely paced, the concepts stand out, and the acting realistic. Author Maryann Elder Goldstein, who may well be playing her real-life self, is totally believable as She. Jeff Grover, who, besides playing He, added material to the script. He was realistic as the frustrated He.

Capsule judgement: ‘BOTH SIDES OF THE FAMILY’ is a well-written script which received a fine production at Charenton.
Charenton, which finds itself in the same nomadic state as Ensemble and Dobama, is looking to make their home in Gallery 324 at the Galleria. They are looking for an “angel” to finance their desire into a reality. Potential donors may contact the theatre at www.cherenton or call 216-469-9160.

Six Degrees of Separation (Charenton)

'SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION' fine at Charenton

In 1967 Harvard Social Psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment that illustrated that everyone in the world can be reached through a short chain of social acquaintances. The Small World Phenomenon estimates that each of us is only 5.8 genealogical steps away from any other person in the world.

The Small World Phenomenon is the basis for John Guare’s play ‘SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION’. Guare, by his own admission, altered the theory as he didn’t feel that ‘5.8 Degrees of Separation’ would make a good play title. Guare’s play is now on stage at Charenton Theatre at Playhouse Square Center.

Guare is a musician and poet. This comes out in his writing with the creation of verbal librettos with melodic overtones. His plays are full of talk and the characters often tell extended stories much like those in the plays of Anton Chekov.

The majority of Guare’s protagonists are fixated on what they think will make them happy. Guare’s dramatic structure involves the use of twists and turns and allowing the audience to know what the characters do not know. All this makes Guare, a highly adventurous playwright.

The story concerns Fifth Avenue socialite Ouisa Kittredge and her purveyor of high-art husband Flan. They are pedigree parents of "two at Harvard and one at Groton." But the privileged insular world inhabited by the Kittredge family makes them easy prey for a consummate con-artist. One night, Paul, a young black man mysteriously shows up at their door - injured and bleeding- claiming to be Sidney Poitier's son and a close college crony of the Kittredges' children. Paul proves to be sharp-witted. He soon has the Kittredges loaning him money and putting him up for the night and taking satisfaction in his appraisal of their posh lifestyle. What follows is both a mystery and a challenging philosophical tale. Who really is Paul? Can the Kittridges’ liberal views stand up to the challenge of reality?

The play demonstrates how separate people are from one another, not how close, how little responsibility each feels for the other. The intruder is less a man than an emblem.

Charenton’s production is involving, if not captivating. Part of the difficulty centers on director Sarah May’s to decision start the production at a slow pace. This lulls the audience into a sense of complacency that allows ideas and Guare’s message to sometimes slip under their emotional radar. On the other hand, her creative staging has cast members rising from seats in the audience and creating clear characters.

The huge cast is talented and each develops a clear character. Sean Booker is outstanding as Geoffrey. He cons not only the characters in the play, but the audience as well. Jacqi Loewy creates a very believable Ouisa. Other quality performances are given by Jesse James Kamps, as the young man who teaches Paul what he needs to know in order to pull off the scam, James Savage Jr, who falls for Paul’s line with traumatic effect and Jennifer Clifford, as the Kittredge’s erratic daughter.

Capsule Judgement: 'SIX DEGREES OF SEPERATION' gets a fine production at Charenton.