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Score: +20 for a set of really sweet perks
Actors almost never connect or collaborate as they recite lines; instead, they always seem to be yelling across the stage at one another from atop these purposely unfinished set pieces. Their placement makes them feel even more removed from the audience. Consequently, emotional peaks in the script fall flat. Fish certainly seems more focused on his concept than the story itself...
...remove any traces of life and energy from one of Odets’s best works, a tale about the survival of the human will in times of crisis. “Paradise” follows the Gordon family, who has lost their livelihood during economic decline. While originally set during the Great Depression, here the Gordons are re-envisioned as a contemporary family—one of Fish’s only directorial decisions that works, even if only in theory. Modernizing the Gordons and their neighbors would make their misfortune more relevant and immediate...
...moments during which characters speak into handheld microphones, the production comes off as cold, sterile, and preachy. The cavernous quality of the Loeb Mainstage only adds to this empty feeling. While the various scenic elements—designed by Andrew Lieberman—are visually striking throughout the three set changes, their scattered placement on the vast stage also underscores the emotional barrenness of the production...
...sprawling, deliberately worn set takes full advantage of the Loeb Ex’s black box space. Staging and lighting are mostly unobtrusive, allowing the actors to carry the play. Sound design plays a larger role—piano interludes complement the household’s cultural conflicts, while a battered turntable that sticks frequently punctuates the play’s powerful final moments. Overall, the production is fairly sparse, which accentuates the dreary gloom of the Harrington family’s relationships and takes the edge off some of the potential melodrama...