Among
these individuals are two married couples who unknowingly switch
partners for one night, a man who realizes the love of his life has
purposely forgotten him, a woman who disappears on an unfamiliar road
after leaving her husband an unsettling phone message, a well educated
man with no friends, a young girl afraid of committing yet not afraid
of hurting others, and a young married man who is seen arriving home
covered in blood. These people connected by chance make ill fated
choices, and in some cases live to regret them.
The
script is unconventional as it does not follow the patterns of a
normal play. The events are first seen with two scenes simultaneously.
By the second act, the characters are thrown back to the past, with
events coinciding in present time. This unique type of storytelling
will definitely keep the audience intrigued with the action and where
the story is heading. The only downside is the few loose ends left
untied at the conclusion of the play. One can argue the decisions of
the playwright. Either way, as long as it is being discussed, the
playwright has done his job.
Under
the direction of Stephen Spinella, the actors are in top form. Patrick
Tuttle and Anna Khaja are believable as a married couple in trouble.
Tuttle rises to the occasion with a heartfelt monologue near the end
of Act one. Aaron MacPherson is likeable as the passive-aggressive
Pete. Hepburn Jamieson hits the right notes as Valerie, a therapist on
the edge. Brian George gives a strong performance as John, a man at
the crossroads. Rounding out the talented cast are Irina Bjorkland,
Amelia Borella, Andrew Lukich, and Dylan Maddalena.
What’s
guaranteed is excellent acting and a complex script that challenges
the audience’s way of thinking. Go see Speaking in Tongues.
- Adrian Rennie
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Presented
by the Open Fist Theatre Company and the Powerhouse Theatre Company, Speaking
in Tongues performs at the Powerhouse Theatre, located at 3116 2nd
Street in Santa Monica, CA. Running through October 8th, performances
are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 7pm. General
admission is $20.00. Sundays are ‘pay-what-you-can’.
For
more reservations and info, please call 323-882-6912.
Website
to Explore
http://www.openfist.org
http://www.powerhousetheatre.com
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0259393/combined
- The movie adaptation
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