CurtainUp
The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
Annotated Listings
| |
CurtainUp The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
Annotated Listings |
|
A CurtainUp Review
Fade
By Elyse Sommer
Like Collected Stories, Fade is based on actual events. Margulies's inspirational wellspring was the legal squabble between poet Stephen Spender and author Stephen Leavitt. (Spender accused Leavitt from poaching from his memoir and succeeded in getting the publishers to withdraw Leavitt's book). The Mexican-American Ms. Saracho's inspiration is even closer to home since it's based on what she has called her "token diversity hire" in Hollywood. Fade's two characters are not connected by their work or life styles but by their geographic immigrant roots. Lucia (Annie Dow) has published one novel and considers being part of a TV serial's script team less as a great opportunity than a stopgap to make some money and go back to being a novelist. But though she is Mexican born, she comes from an affluent background which has helped her to transition into the aspiring American middle class. On the other hand, Abel (Eddie Martinez) is a third-generation American born ex-Marine. Yet, as part of the television studio's janitorial staff he's more a typical minority hire for lowly, go-nowhere work. By pairing her play with two young people — Lucia's in her late 20s, Abel in his early 30's — who have little in common except their Mexican roots, the playwright turns the All About Eve business into serious sub-plot for her comedy. The focus on the same-but-different friendship allows Saracho to explore the differences within a large and diverse group of today's multi-cultural America; and also do a satiric send-up of the attitudes and work habits of those drawn like bees to honey to the privileged, high-pad world that creates mass entertainment. From the moment we see Lucia trying to settle into the rather spartan office assigned to her, it's clear she's uncomfortably on edge. Despite the I-don't-care superiority she brings to her job as the new member of the TV show's creative team, she resents and is nervous about the more talk than writing set-up and her less than respectful treatment. What's more, being a Chicagoan she feels alone and unsupported, not just in the job but in Los Angeles. No wonder someone to whom she can speak Spanish, the language that's always been her "comfort tongue" is just what she needs. So what difference that Abel enters her life pushing a vacuum cleaner and wearing a company uniform while she's smartly dressed and her working tool is a laptop? Though Abel does indeed speak Spanish it's not his comfort language, at least not at work. Thus the Latino background establishes a common bond as the basis of their friendship, and for learning to understand the various things being "brown" can mean. True to the play's title, Lucia's insecurities take a lot of venting to Abel for her tensions to fade away. But there's no fade out for the class and life style differences to make even a hint their growing rapport could be anything other than a momentary misstep. Despite punchy dialogue that effectively lands its laugh line, there's no avoiding the predictability of how Lucia's settling into the job and Abel's own confidences about his personal problems will lead to that sub-plot development — and the play's fadeout finale. Under Joel Ruiz's taut direction, and with a strong assist from his design team, the many short scenes have enough physical and visual energy to save Fade from being too talky and static. Mariana Sanchez's office for Lucia subtly evokes the sense of a place that has seen writer after writer attempting to reconcile artistic hopes with the bottom line demands of Hollywood. With a strong assist from lighting designer Amid Drashanker the scene fluidly shifts its look for the finale. Thanks to costumer Carisa Kelly, Annie Dow manages to switch costumes in practically every scene. Mr. Ruiz has guided Eddie Martinez to bring out Abel's likeability and vulnerability. Unfortunately, he's failed to keep Ms. Dow from being so consistently and exhaustingly shrill that she doesn't just turn unsympathetic gradually but comes off that way from the get-go. Familiar as this narrative is, it's refreshing to have it play out for characters from a demographic usually seen in more stereotypical roles on stage and screen. For sure, they're not the Mexicans that our new president sees. |
Search CurtainUp in the box below PRODUCTION NOTES Fade by Tanya Saracho Directed by Jerry Ruiz Cast: Annie Dow as Lucia and Eddie Martinez as Abel. Sets: Mariana Sanchez Costumes:Carisa Kelly Lighting:Amith Chandrashaker Sound:M.L. Dogg Stage Manager:Alfredo Macias Running Time: 90 minutes, no intermission Primary Stages at Cherry Lane 38 Commerce Street From 1/25/17; opening 2/08/17; closing 3/05/17. Reviewed by Elyse Sommer at January 29th press preview REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V): Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review. For a feed to reviews and features as they are posted at http://curtainupnewlinks.blogspot.com to your reader Curtainup at Facebook . . . Curtainup at Twitter |
