THE THEATER MIRROR, New England's LIVE Theater Guide
|
MARQUEE | USHER | SEATS |
INTERMISSION | CURTAIN |
note: entire contents copyright 2009 by Beverly Creasey
Sam Shepard carved out a lucrative niche for himself writing plays about mythic America: a seamy, steamy America where dangerous obsessions drive people to ruin. The New Repertory Theatre’s FOOL FOR LOVE (playing through April 5th) oozes danger in director Bridget Kathleen O’Leary’s slick, sinister production.
Timothy John Smith gives a ferocious performance as Eddie, May’s longtime love, who can’t bear to stay with her for long but who can’t stay away from her either. Stacy Fischer makes May an open wound, pathetically fragile and fiercely frantic at the same time. When she strikes out at Eddie, Smith’s eyes are the only indicator that her words have hit their mark. It’s a formidable performance, letting us, and only us, in on his pain---as we watch him lash out at everything and everyone in sight.
His chief target, other than May, is her unlucky date for the evening. The poor guy has no idea what secrets they share. Andrew Dufresne gives a wry performance as the innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. Joseph Finneral, too, gives a quirky, amusing performance ---and we do need those laughs--- as the old man “who married Barbara Mandrell.”