Word: silver
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Whomever Silver intends to be evil, imagery of death and dark forces bear heavily on the set and the plot as well. Emma sees Arthur in a dream as the devil with horns and cloven feet. But Todd emerges the more likely contender, with an irrepressibly destructive influence and inhuman discourse which portray him as some eternal diabolic force. Enigmatically, he informs his family, "I think I died long ago... I'll be here long after you're gone..." while erecting the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex he mysteriously digs up in the back yard of the family mansion...
Thematically, Todd is the hero and no matter how evil he may be, Silver insists we show him some sympathy. For one thing. Todd is not directly responsible for anyone's death. He merely induces them to realize their self-destructive impulses. More importantly, he represents victimhood fighting back and settling scores with those who foiled his hopes for a happy existence...
...Silver, Todd is a dream of retribution come true. All those years of living life gay and castout by his Main Line banking father finally get cashed in with the opportunity to create purpose out of misery. The purpose is revenge; slow, torturous, deadly revenge. How satisfying to watch Grace race about the stage straightening and fussing, talking herself into a frenzy and pretending she cannot hear while Todd reiterates the four letter disease louder and louder. And for Dad, a full, five-year sexual history chock-full of moves that don't even sound fun for Todd suffocating...
...worthless life. Giving her a gun as a gift anticipates her own desire to cut out before AIDS takes its toll. Posing as an expert on life, he spouts poetry with all sorts of pretentious and clumsy lines like "they could not hear his cries of sorrow." Evidently Silver intended a great deal with Todd's character, but his script trail him. some acceptable way of saying such silly things without cooing. Out of the struggle emerge two voices for Todd. One is angsty and rebellious, the other lilting and sentimental...
Under Mark Brokaw's direction, the first act races along as cynical and funny, never dull or heavy. Silver's language is innovative, and his humor refreshing and barbed with commentary. Regarding Harold Pinter's Birthday Party; Arthur: "Who'd you play?" Todd: "The rapist." Arthur: "You were ten!" Todd: "It was private school." Or Arthur fearing implication for his molestation of Emma: Emma: "I had a memory." Arthur: "Don't dwell...