ASU Department of Theatre's Balm in Gilead at The Galvin Playhouse
(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 4/10/99
(out of )For his first full length play, Lanford Wilson, new arrival to the tempestuous early '60s counter-culture scene in downtown Manhattan, decided to write what he saw. The result was the hard-hitting and overwhelming Balm in Gilead. The play, which premiered to raves at NYC's famed La Mama and eventually transferred to the stage of the fledgling Circle in the Square company that Mr. Wilson and his cohort, director Marshall Mason had founded, is a graphic and gritty look at the junkies, pushers, prostitutes and other freaks that inhabit a SoHo greasy spoon. Frank discussions and actions of homosexuality, heroine-use, prostitution and violence spark this kitchen-sink, reality-based play, and were shocking to audiences of that era. While modern audiences have grown jaded, and much of what was taboo is now tabloid-fodder, the universality of the themes and actions keep this play from being completely dated. Save for a few references to contemporary music and the slacker, Gen-X look of the costumes, little needs to be changed in bringing this show ahead 37 years.
Mr. Wilson's take on the downtrodden sub-culture of pimps, pushers
and victims is overwhelming, and he uses multiple conversations
and several center-points of action to capture the look, feel
and sound of his subject. From the silent heroine addict who sways
in slow motion on her counter stool, to the brightly-dressed transvestites
who saunter through the café, to the brazen prostitutes
who ply their trade and wares inside and out of the diner, every
story gets its moment, and every character harmonizes this fast-paced
song of hope and despair. Somewhat at the center of this mass
is young prostitute Darlene, and pusher-wannabe Joe, whose dreams
drive the play through its myriad of activities and repetitions.
Director Daniel Irvine has done a wonderful job in blocking
this chaotic mass of 28 actors. He and his assistants have choreographed
this dance of desperation, always offering several different interesting
stage pictures for the eye to feast upon. While the youthful cast
as a whole struggles with their down-and-out depictions, never
truly able to create the requisite grittiness of their creations,
and they bravely struggle with Mr. Wilson's difficult-though-crucial
vocal cadences that allow a general understanding of all who speak
at the same time, the production still manages to capture some
of the essence that Mr. Wilson offers to his audience.
It would be nearly impossible to point out the strongest and weakest
of the performances, since many of the characters wander the stage
without definite announcements of who they are, but the four main
leads who propel this show, Randy Noojin as newbie pusher
Joe, Margaret Adams as newbie prostitute, Darlene, Christian
Miller as vagrant and narrator Dopey, and Bree Williams
as old pro Ann, all succeed and suffer from the same strengths
and weaknesses. They perform their parts with gusto, diving into
their low-life characters with zeal. Their investment in their
characters helps to overcome the roadblocks that their struggles
with the vocal rhythms and lack of desperation set up. One can't
fault them for the difficulties they have seeming base and sounding
out the cadences, as this production in its academic setting is
their proving ground. The fact that they are able to produce as
much dramatic tension and forcefulness as they are is testament
enough. This is a production rarely seen, and their successes
are grander because of it's difficulty.
Visually, the choices made to recreate the audience-involving
feel of the original production in the non-conducive stage of
the Galvin Playhouse is impressive. Evan Alexander incorporates
a revolve with construction scaffolding and fixed apartment windows
to offer every view possible of this seedy setting. Edward
Coco's lighting evokes the mood of the piece, and Holly
Ann Hill's costumes give the visual clues necessary to associate
character with stratum of society. Also well done was Michael
Genova's Sound Design, which weaves topical music throughout
the proceedings.
If for no other reason than seeing a show that will almost definitely
not appear again in the Valley of the Sun, I recommend this production.
The fact that it hits as often as it misses, and often does both
in the same moment, is a testament to how difficult a production
this is, and how impressive the cast and crew are for overcoming
the challenges that they do.
Production Details:
Balm in Gilead by Lanford Wilson
Arizona State University's Department of Theatre
The Galvin Playhouse, Tempe
(480) 965-6447
April 9th - April 25th, 1999