Alexander Sapp, Matt Polson and Katrinah Carol Lewis from Virginia Rep's "River Ditty" (Photo by Aaron Sutten)
THE PLAY: A brother and sister escape their oppressive household and find solace in a shack in the forest.
THE PRODUCTION: It's refreshing, and somewhat unusual, to see a new play that's traditional in the best sense of the word. No flashy theatrics or convoluted plot tricks, just solid storytelling with compelling characters. That's the case with this world premiere.
Director Nathaniel Shaw has kept the staging simple to focus on the interactions of the characters and the often poetic language. Meanwhile, the moments that require a more theatrical touch are handled with confidence. (There was also distracting backstage activity more than once.)
The show's most compelling characters are the three "country folk." Scott Wichmann (Toe) is downright creepy, Alexander Sapp (Owen) is sweetly amusing, and Jonathan Brent Burgard (Harlan) is an imposing stage presence who's gifted with both comic skill and potent empathy.
The fugitive siblings have less unique personalities, but Katrinah Carol Lewis manages to hold her own, and Matt Polson nicely embodies the sensitive, creative side of his character.
Wendy Carter (Lily) only gets to play terrified (which she does well), while Bostin Christopher (Atticus Dye … is that pun intentional?) has created a villain so evil that it approaches melodrama … just a gesture away from twirling his mustache.
The play itself creates a compelling situation with an impending shadow of tragedy. But there's also effortless character humor to lighten the load. The first act sets up the relationships nicely (keep reading for a stipulation), but Act 2 loses narrative thrust. Even though we know calamity is coming, the ultimate climax lacks sufficient suspense or dramatic power.
The effectively rustic set by Craig Napoliello features a cabin surrounded by walls of diagonal wooden planks. BJ Wilkinson's lighting adds dramatic accents, and Sue Griffin's costumes are appropriate.
Playwright Matthew Mooney Keuter needs to focus the dialogue; almost every scene waxes on longer than necessary. Some of the relationships are confusing. One example: Is the sister supposed be black, or is this just colorblind casting? It's not clear until well into the first act, which seems unusual since Southerners in the 1890s would have certainly commented on it.
Running time: 3:00
THE POINT: This new folk tale boasts fine performances and assured staging, but the play needs clarity and trimming.
The Virginia Rep production of "River Ditty" is onstage at the November Theatre through May 6.
Read more reviews by Jerry Williams on SIFTER (TVJerry.com).
