Word: masha
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...ensemble. Each actor—even the silent ones—brings enormous energy to the role. Especially strong scenes are the tea party—where the Mad Hatter, March Hare, and Doormouse (Jess R. Burkle ’06, Jen H. Rugani ’07, and Masha O. Godina ’08) deliver their lines with flawless timing—and the exchanges between Alice and the Red and White Queens, played to perfection by Mary E. Birnbaum ’07 and Laurel T. Holland ’06. The performances are appropriately complemented...
...acting and directing veteran Birnbaum’s direction is characteristically excellent. Although some plot points are never resolved, and the presence of some scenes distracts from the main drama between Bernarda and her daughters (such as the recurring appearance of the senile grandmother Maria Josefa, excellently acted by Masha O. Godina ’08), Birnbaum succeeds at creating a claustrophobic small-town feel that accentuates the drama of “Bernarda Alba.” The added touch of making all the other characters sit off to the side, watching the action as they embroider wedding trousseaus...
...Take the Garbage Out” as an utterly psychotic little girl, and the role of old, bitter, jaded Nellie in “No Soliciting.” Possibly the darkest and most disturbing scene was “The Best Daddy,” where Lisa (Masha O. Godina ’08) tries to figure out whether her 13th birthday present from her father (Daniel J. Rinehart ’09), which is covered in a bulky patchwork quilt, is in fact alive or dead. Godina displayed an intense wide-eyed innocence that skillfully avoided caricature. Somehow...
...easily shift back and forth between the two. The precise physical and mental spaces in which the play takes place are made more unclear by a staging that is self-consciously stylized. The actors overemphasize emotions and often dramatically shift moods with little or no cause. The middle sister Masha (Molly Ward) especially exaggerates her small joys and sorrows. Such stylized acting, along with the dramatic lighting that illuminates much of the play, creates a sense of fantastic strangeness that contrasts with the traditional perception of Chekhov as a realist. Although the choice to stylize the text in this...
Present onstage throughout almost all of the play are a few key props: white chairs, white fences, and a lot of liquor. The characters chatter, confess, and flail freely about the confines of these props while also remaining under their influence. From the resigned and self-pitying Masha (Lillian Ritchie ’08) to the quietly desperate Paulina (Shannon Parvis), all the characters struggle within the stark physical boundaries provided. Only the successful Dr. Dorn (Paul P. Linden-Retek ’08) seems comfortable, a sign of his self-assured confidence...