Alan Sader, Chandler Hubbard and Adam Turck in "Desire Under the Elms" (Photo by Bill Sigafoos)
THE PLAY: When an aging father returns to his family farm with a young bride, she is greeted with skepticism by the remaining son. Her ambition and yearning lead to personal encounters of tragic proportions.
THE PRODUCTION: Even though playwright Eugene O'Neill's work was considered early realism, it's not naturalistic by today's standards. The language of the 1924 work isn't exactly stylized, but verges on poetic, with grand emotions that hearken back to the play's Greek tragedy roots.
This cast manages to handle the rich style with assurance (despite the New England accents that come and go). Landon Nagel skillfully creates a sensitive son with undercurrents of tortured conflict. Alan Sader commands the stage with the type of oversize character that he does so well. The complex passion surrounding the wife is sometimes realized by Amber Marie Martinez, but her pivotal moments could have used more emotional heft.
The show's greatest strength is the masterful staging by Director Josh Chenard. He's created dramatic stage pictures with theatrical skill and infused the drama with a quiet intensity.
The support of the technical team elevates the show to another level. Chris Raintree's set stylistically suggests a farm that's artistic design at its best. Bill Miller's beautiful, richly evocative lighting is almost like another character in the show.
Even with all this support, the show's tragic turning points failed to fully ignite the dramatic power of the characters' circumstances. Running time: 1:47
THE POINT: The oversize emotions and stylistic language aren't in the modern theater vernacular, but this masterfully staged, well-acted production expresses dramatic force and theatrical confidence.
"Desire Under the Elms" is on stage at the Firehouse Theatre through Nov. 5.
Read more reviews by Jerry Williams on SIFTER (TVJerry.com).
