 "Photo: Photo by David Todd")
After watching the cast of “Private Eyes” perform in a dress rehearsal last week, I was more than impressed and couldn’t wait to watch the actual production. On Sunday, I sat down in my seat and waited patiently for the story to once again unfold onstage, a story of being pushed to the brink of insanity by suspicion, the misgivings of the human heart and how we don’t always know how much we love someone until we ultimately hurt them.
Steven Dietz’ play is set during a rehearsal in New York City. The actress Lisa (Lindsay Pearce) is having an affair with her director Adrian (Steven Linhais). They believe that Lisa’s husband, and also her costar in the play they’re rehearsing, Matthew (Fernando Gonzalez) are in the dark about the entire thing when in fact his suspicion just keeps growing. Matthew struggles with the maddening uncertainty concerning whether his wife is actually having an affair or if he is in somehow making it all up as a result of paranoia, or perhaps just to have something to tell his therapist, a woman named Frank (Diane Rodriquez). There’s also the mysterious “waitress” Cory (Anemone Jones), whose real purpose remains unknown until the final scene.
I already knew the storyline; I’d watched the rehearsal. But I wanted to see how the actors who I had described as ‘brilliant’ in my preview story performed in front of a live audience. For starters, one of the actors was late, so the play that was supposed to begin at 2 p.m. didn’t start until around 2:30, so I continued to wait patiently. I still loved the beginning ensemble as they went around the room flashing cameras at the audience, acting as reporters. As the first scene got underway, I sat up eagerly to take it in. And I was slightly disappointed, as the acting had been much better in the dress rehearsal. Maybe it was a case of nerves after the delayed beginning: understandable.
The rest of the play left me with the same feeling of mild disappointment; though the acting was still very good, it just wasn’t the same caliber as I had seen the previous week, though I still loved with the storyline. Perhaps it would have been better if I had gone to their first performance on Friday night instead of Sunday, but ces’t la vie – or that’s life in live theater, I suppose. I did laugh out loud at many parts, such as when the three starring actors dug into tainted salads smearing dressing all over their faces, or when the therapist flipped the bird at the audience.
Overall, MJC theater Professor Michael Lynch directed a very competent production and I would see it again, though if I did I would hope that the cast would have shaken off their jitters. I would encourage everyone and anyone to go see it before they wrap. If you don’t, you’ll be missing out on quite a torrid affair.
“Private Eyes” will continue this weekend at 7:30p.m. on December 11, 12, or at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, in the Little Theatre, on East Campus, off Stoddard near College Avenue. Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens and are available online at http://mjc.tix.com, at the Box Office on Tuesday through Friday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. or by calling 575-6776 during Box Office hours. Tickets will also be available at the door 90 minutes before each performance. Parents should note that there is some adult language.
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