Last week, Mrs. K and I traveled to Fort Ben to take in opening night of Theatre Unchained’s latest production – John Cariani’s Love/Sick.
The play has been called a “dark cousin” to Cariani’s Almost Maine, and indeed it is. While Almost Maine celebrates love-sweet-love, Love/Sick covers love’s more painful side. Both scripts are extremely nuanced and hilariously funny, and they show Cariani’s incredible understanding of both play-crafting and human nature.
This production is directed to a very fine point by Kaya Dorsch, who shows a great perception of the playwright’s style and intent. His five players offer a sharply acted set of nine vignettes which cover everything from obsessive-impulsive disorder to a bride and groom meeting with spontaneous blindfolds to a man who mustn’t be ‘dazzled’ by goodness – the result being blindness, or speech problems.
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Standout performances from a cast which covers several different characters apiece include:
In the scene titled “Obsessive Impulsive” which kicks off the show, Joe Wagner and Lucy Fields are quite amazing as they tackle characters with obsessive impulsive tendencies who are not supposed to have love at first sight but do. The acting is complicated (and very well met) as about three-quarters of the scene is done in unison! Quite impressive …
In “The Answer,” a tale of a bride and groom who are very much unsettled about what they are ready (or not ready) to do, Brittany Magee and Joe Wagner meet blindfolded in a bathroom (so as not to see one another before the ceremony) and present a lively recounting of their present situation. The comedy, again based on love’s miseries, is the most physical of the scenes and is very well timed.
Brittany Magee and Kyrsten Lyster team up as a wife and wife with children in “Where Was I?” This is the least comical of the scenes and relates to what is a familiar theme in coupledom, especially after children come into the picture. Ms. Magee’s Abbie is the caretaker of the family home and painfully has lost herself in her everyday tasks. Ms. Lyster’s Liz is the breadwinner. This relatable conflict is emotionally played with a surprising realization at scene’s end.
Perhaps the most unusual comedic material is presented in “What?!?” In this vignette, Ben (Joe Wagner) has fallen in love with Andy (Aaron Henze) and arrives at Andy’s home to tell him so. However, Andy has a condition that renders him deaf or speechless if he is “dazzled.” Ben’s good news about love definitely has its effects and we are treated to a well-written, superbly acted scene.
Actually, all the actors’ performances are a pleasure to watch. A lot of fine talent has put in a good deal of work on this project and the effort shows. The scant opening night audience loved the show and I hope many of my readers will find time to attend this true gem of a show!
Bottom line: A marvelous script by John Cariani gets first rate interpretation by Director Dorsch and his cast, resulting in a hilarious and heartfelt 100 minutes of theatre. Highly recommended!
Theatre Unchained’s Love/Sick continues at Theatre at the Fort, 8920 Otis Ave. Lawrence, through Saturday, Jan. 21. For ticket info and reservations go to artsforlawrence.org/tickets and look for the dated Love/Sick listings.
Read more great play reviews from A Seat on the Aisle at asota.wordpress.com.