Mrs. sorken and the duck variations: theater review - ladue news: arts & entertainment: christopher durang, david mamet, mrs. sorken and the duck variations, mustard seed theatre, review
Mrs. Sorken and The Duck Variations: Theater Review - Ladue News: Art…et, mrs. sorken and the duck variations, mustard seed theatre, review
Mrs. Sorken and The Duck Variations: Theater Review by Mark Bretz | Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2013 12:32 pm Story: Mrs. Sorken, title character in the first skit, greets the audience to inform us about protocol and purpose behind the experience of attending the theater. She’s lost her notes, so she relies upon her somewhat scattered memory to give us a quick history about theater, drama and ancient Greeks, and how closely Dramamine is tied to drama. Who knew?
In The Duck Variations, two elderly gentlemen, Emil and George, pass the time on a bench by a lake in apublic park expounding upon the traits of the seldom regarded duck. It’s a grand bird, they proclaim, withknowledge of its species that may or may not be quite accurate. Still, ruminations and observations abouttheir web-footed friends serve as a bridge of communication between the two solitary figures. Withapologies to Paul Simon, they may be old friends, sharing a park bench, albeit not too quietly. Howterribly strange. Highlights: Mustard Seed Theatre artistic director Deanna Jent has cleverly paired two small gems written in 1984 and 1972 respectively by Christopher Durang and David Mamet for a brief evening that entertains and delights in little more than an hour. Other Info: Less is more in this effort, which features the always eloquent Peggy Billo as the subtly disappointed matron who greets us and the savvy craftsmanship of Bobby Miller and Richard Lewis as the pair of aged gents who wax philosophical from their sturdy park bench.
Jent’s leisurely but insightful directorial style allows her three performers to engage the audience withtheir wit and winning ways as they cleverly craft these charming characters created by two of America’stop contemporary playwrights.
They’re abetted by a spare set designed and lit by Bess Moynihan that features a prominent paintedbackdrop of blue sky and the lush beauty of the park, while a single bench on a platform takes centerstage, with a trash container nearby. Kareem Deanes adds the soft sound of birds in the background,while Emma Bruntrager’s costumes clearly define the age of the two men, who dress for comfort andprotection, and Mrs. Sorken, who has the look and faded style of a suburban matron of the arts.
Billo is ever charming, dutifully acting as our docent and relying upon sometimes faulty recollections ofen-ty-mol-o-gy, as she has us pronounce back, to study the derivation of words. Fortunately for her,drama sounds a lot like Dramamine, a prescription drug with which Mrs. Sorken has more than a passingfamiliarity.
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Mrs. Sorken and The Duck Variations: Theater Review - Ladue News: Art…et, mrs. sorken and the duck variations, mustard seed theatre, review
She’s so subtle in relaying her wistful disappointments about her life and times that you might miss it ifyou’re not paying close attention. Either way, you’re inclined to think that Billo’s Mrs. Sorken is OKwith your response.
Miller’s George chews and sits and speaks like the crusty old codger you may know from yourneighborhood, and Lewis as Emil is as dependable and reliable as a pair of familiar shoes. They share aneasy give-and-take, where disagreements can be loud but fleeting, and where George can casually holdhis empty coffee cup while Emil fills it from his thermos. You can tell that they share a bond, whetherit’s brand new or part of a regular ritual.
Both Durang and Mamet are known for their shrillness and profanity, not to mention total lack ofsubtlely. These two nicely polished little gems show us a different side of both playwrights. It shouldn’tbe too surprising, though, since both writers know their way around the English language and areaccomplished at creating memorable characters and scenes.
The characters in these works, which are really more vignettes than plays, say plenty about the humancondition with an economy of motion and words. In the hands of accomplished interpreters such as Jent,Billo, Lewis and Miller, the storytelling magic of Durang and Mamet provides both soft laughter andpensive rumination for a receptive audience. Play: Mrs. Sorken and The Duck Variations Group: Mustard Seed Theatre Venue: Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, Wydown at Big Bend Dates: January 31, February 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 Tickets: $20-$25 (pay with a can/pay what you can at Saturday matinees); contact 719-8060 or
Rating: A 4.5 on a scale of 1-to-5.
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