Oasis Theatre Companies Acrobats & Line at Phoenix Theatre's Little Theatre
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 8/20/99
(out of )In the midst of one of the slowest summer theatre seasons this decade, Esta Rosevear has decided to launch her lifelong dream theatre group, Oasis Theatre Company. Her spin on this company involves bringing many different genres of art together and offer them at economical prices to give an equal chance for all to attend. This grand vision, led by the longtime Greenway High drama teacher, attempts to establish itself with two very difficult one-act plays by the brilliant, cryptic and disturbing playwright, Israel Horovitz.
The curtain-opener, Acrobats, and the longer one-act, Line, are not to everyone's taste. They are complex works that contain many different levels, and are as brutal-but-engrossing as a traffic accident with fatalities. The good news is that the combination of generally great casting and interesting scripts gives a good start to this company. The only problem with this production, though, and it's a big one, is the lack of a distinctive directorial voice that explores the myriad of levels offered in these pieces. While everything in these plays does a good and enjoyable job of existing in the here and now, one does not sense the depth of expression available from the texts produced.
The opening play, Acrobats, is a clever analogy of a relationship in turmoil. In the midst of an acrobatic presentation involving two performers, a bed of nails, and several tricks performed, the disintegrating relationship of this husband and wife is seen. They bicker about their petty hatreds of each other, while always performing their death-defying, intricately dependant acts. The Man, played by Cheo Jackson, and the Woman, as performed by Tiana Lynton, are generally solid, although their bickering rings hollow in the interpretation that Director Esta Rosevear has chosen, having her performers spout their bile in an oddly presentational way that mirrors, rather than counters, the forced smiles and flourishing ways of their acrobatics. While the two performers carry off the acts and actions with panache, vocally, Mr. Jackson's voice seems strained by its unnatural tone, and Ms. Lynton battles unsuccessfully either to hide or limit her native British accent, causing a weird mish-mosh between the two.
In the second offering, Line, the casting choices are much better, with valley veterans Mike Traylor, Shekie Bishop, Richard Hardt and Gerald Thomson joined by newcomer Jordan Mann. To a performer, they are all able to grasp the humor and the ominous qualities of each of their characters, and interact in a very natural way for this absurdist piece. They all work well, both singly and in tandem, and pull off the difficult job of presenting their contrasting roles. As great a coup as this is, it is also part of the problem of the piece. While each actor seems to have grasped a literal reality for their separate characters, Ms. Rosevear seems to have ignored their sociological and historical representations. For example, Mr. Traylor portrays a wunderkind appropriately nicknamed The Kid, who is as intelligent and successful as he is despised and envied by those around him. In this production, it seems that is where his depth remains, never hinting at the potentials of his characters meanings, such as representing the American Dream, or the natural result of being a child genius in the style of Mozart, to whom he makes many references. Another place where the depth of the piece is lost is in the characterization of Mr. Thomson, whose ineffectual character never seems to attain the power of his thwarted intellect during his most crucial, and surprising, grab at control. On the surface, the play is about gaining control by being first in a line whose goal is unknown, but Mr. Horovitz is famed for his many layers of meaning, such as the course of American history, and the quest for success in a facadal society, few of which manage to escape from this very realistic presentation.
The limited facilities are not a hindrance to the technical presentation. William Rosevear's Set and Lighting Design work well for both productions. Susan Bourgeous costumes establish character well, and Noel Irick's choreography is wonderfully descriptive of character and situation.
Ms. Rosevear's dreams for her theatre company are commendable, and her first effort is a solid one, if not complex. If she is able to continue attracting the type of talent as showcased in Line, and to give more time to the rehearsal and discovery process, there's hope that this company can establish itself among the second tier of theatres in the valley.
Production Details:
Acrobats & Line by
Israel Horovitz
Oasis Theatre Company
Phoenix Theatre's Little Theatre, Phoenix
(623) 934-3453
August 19 - August 29, 1999