What is a perfect play? Do you have one? I go back to Saroyan's The Time of Your Life.. The film with James Cagney and productions over the years. To me.. it is all the stuff that keeps the audience informed and engaged.
Kelly Younger's World Premiere of Rorshach was cast by Victoria
Hoffman. I had a moment to re-connect with her before the curtain and
wanted to share her credit at the top of this critique because she and
the director, Cameron Watson, found their terrific cast and molded them into
their characters in such a way that the cast did their jobs with aplomb.
Really..
When a theatre piece as complicated as this
play is on many levels comes together with the combined skills of the
text, the theme (lots of love) and substance, that's an
accomplishment. If any Art moves us.. draws us in ..or repels us?
Then the art is successful. This play.. evidently a favorite for Mr.
Watson for almost twenty years!! Has all the elements that .. when met..
create the bond between the audience and the story.
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Is it vital that you see this story? Yes!
Why see this show??
Well you may ask. At tender moments in this production.. the silence
may echo a sniffle. Will I cop to a sniffle? More than one time..
and the laughs are clever and to the credit of the big three: the Cast,
the Director and the Playwright.. the Laughs are out loud . .
An Ink Blot?? What might this be?
Unlike
the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) that aids psychologists to probe the minds of
clients.. Recognizable images in amorphous situtions, Rorschach's Ink
Blots provide a deeper dive, that, with trained skill can
ferret out the subtle stuff that brought the client to counseling in the
first place.
Based on heavy
research, Kelly Younger builds a scenario on the appparent failure of Hermann Rorshach to
be recognized for his often maligned theory. Born in 1884..
Rorshach (Mitch Ross) came to science from art. A Swiss, Rorschach was convinced his 'way'
could be ground breaking. He meets Emil (Paul Culos) and.. The Magical Reality of
the relationship of each and all of the characters becomes central to
the work of modern day PhD candidate Justin (Elija McNally). We meet Justin in a lecture
hall. That's where we also meet Aimee (Carolina Rodriguez). And, then. the magical
coincidences. They are manipulative and funny and warm and fill the check
list of life and conflict and the Hope of resolution and redemption. The story unfolds in the
most expert way that drama.. to me.. is supposed to unfold.
We meet the 'actor' Olive (like the tree) Linzi Fenix and Dana (Tessa Hersh) who bring another aspect of how Love finds a Way to the adventure.
Jared Sayeg's
amazing tech and Tesshi Nakagawa's set are awe inspiring in spite of some sight line issuess ..
blame the rake of the Skylight seating..
'Twas ever thus.. and if, in
time.. The Skylight adjusts their seating so that the seeing the whole play is more
available to everyone.. that could be a wonderful improvement..
Regardless, the tech transports us in wonderful ways. Magic.
Six
characters.. seven or eight if you count the sound and visuals..and
the director's invisible hand... as the story unfolds a pace; we come
to love and/or appreciate every single one.
The most dear and tender moments are genuine. The
magical reality works. The device of Coming Together is superb.
Cameraon
Watson's first curtain speech.. as Artistic Director of the Skylight ..and.. I'm not big on curtain speeches..
was filled with the joy of what can be accomplished when like minds opt
to make Important Art.
I am not
prone to gush about much of anything, But, Watson's magnetic and genuine Love of Theatre in his first curtain
speech was so from the heart that if this was church, I'd convert.
Meanwhile..
What is Theatre supposed to do? Inform?
Excite? Involve? Take us in
and send us out full of feeling? All of these. And, it is so much fun to
be on board for this World Premiere that may be a revolutionary ride for The Small Stage in the
City of Los Angeles. Bravo.
CAST
- Tessa Claire Hersh as Dana
- Paul Culos as Emil
- Linzi Fenix as Olive
- Elijah McNally as Justin
- Carolina Rodriguez as Aimee
- Mitch Ross as Herrmann
.
CREW
Cameron Watson, Artistic Director;
Nona Chiang, Executive Director; Christian Skinner and Cedes Sifuentes, Associate Producers).
Director: Cameron Watson
Produced by Mason McCulley;
Produced by Mason McCulley;
Scenic design by Tesshi Nakagawa
Lighting design by Jared Sayeg;
Sound design by Jeff Gardner
Costume design by Kate Bergh;
Projection design by NicholasSantiago;
Scenic painting by Angelene Storey; Production stagemanager Letitia Chang.
RORSCHACH
A World Premiere
By Kelly Younger
Directed by Cameron Watson
Skylight Theatre
(1816 1/2 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
- Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM
- Sunday at 2:00 PM
- Through November 22, 2026
- Parking is difficult. Uber or other transportation advised
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