AP+Review+of+Ride

Ally Parker Richmond Theatre 2000 6 February 2017 Critique of The Long Christmas Ride Home The Long Christmas Ride Home by Paula Vogel is a one-act play written with a Japanese form of puppetry called “Bunraku” incorporated to represent several of the characters at a younger age (Ride). Although a deeply emotionally upsetting plot and unpleasant set of characters, the University of Georgia Performing Arts actors, actresses, producer, director and crew executed the show with determination and were able to accomplish an excellent performance. In terms of the plot of the show, the cast was very clear and intentional. Through their facial expressions, direct and succinct blocking and vocal tones, the cast kept the audience fully aware of the plot throughout the show. Being such an experimental show with shadows, abstract props and puppets, it was not difficult to understand what was happening. For example, the mother of the family did an amazing job significantly changing her voice when she had to speak for three characters consecutively in the very beginning of the car ride. If she had not, that part of the dialogue would have been very confusing for the audience to follow, and because that scene was crucial to setting up the background information for the show, the audience would not have understood the rest of the show as easily. The actors and actresses also developed their characters very well, giving the audience a clear understanding of each of the characters’ goals and traits and how they interacted with each other. For example, developing character indirectly for a puppet, what one would normally think to be challenging, was excellently accomplished by both the mother and father of the family and the puppeteers. Before the puppets of the children ever became real actors, I knew what the characters’ personalities were like and even had some foreshadowing of the children’s futures mainly through the efforts of the mother, father and puppeteers. It was clear to the audience that the young son, Stephen, was going to question his sexuality because the actors’ use of a high pitched, gentle voice when speaking for Stephen and softer movements when controlling Stephen’s puppet. The setting for the show, although simple at first glance, was very important for setting up and explaining specific elements of the plot. Before the show began, the curtains of a proscenium style theatre were open to three separate fabric panels sitting on the back of the stage with a painting of a snowy branch being projected on them. This helped the audience to have a clear temperature and climate in mind for the show that the crew could not have accomplished otherwise. Throughout the show, different scenes, pictures and shadows appeared on the panels proving to be very helpful in seeing and understanding the plot of the show. For example, the three different doors for the three different children appeared behind them on the panels, yet they helped to give the audience a picture to base an imagination on. Another example of the use of the panels to advance the plot would be when actors would walk behind the panels at different distances creating the illusion that they were closer or farther away from the audience. The best use of the panels was the abstract depiction of Stephen’s AIDS spreading through his body and overcoming his life. The panels started blank and then drops of color were slowly laid into the water being projected, slowly spreading over time. As Stephen continued to speak, different colors were added into the water and the colors began to mix. This was a clear representation of Stephen’s condition getting closer and closer to a point of no return. Also, instrumentals of Christmas songs played throughout the house before the show started, setting the audience up for that time of year whether they knew it or not. The costuming for this show varied among the different characters. The parents were dressed in normal, fairly modern formal attire to represent their attendance of a church service and a Christmas dinner with their children. The puppets were also dressed in this type of clothing with their puppeteers in all black. This helped to set the scene somewhat, but the aspects of the costuming that really stood out to me came later in the show. When the children grow up and are acted out by actors instead of puppets they each wear all black and the one accessory they got for Christmas from their grandparents. For Claire, this one accessory was the fingerless red gloves; for stephen, it was the white beanie with a hole in the back, and for Rebecca, it was the ratty blue scarf. This type of costuming was so powerful because it highlighted the importance of that one accessory. That one old piece of clothing they wore was a gift from the Christmas that changed their lives, and it was the focus of their costumes. This shows that that one Christmas of the past and the past of their childhood in general was still having an effect on their life. Lighting for the show was, for the most part, pretty consistent. A spotlight, here and there, during a monologue in front of the front door helped to create suspense in that moment, but other than that, the lighting neither helped nor hurt the show. The sounds of the show were pretty similar to the use of lighting. Not a lot of it was used or changed very often, but in terms of sounds, I did not love the live drums during a few of the scenes. I understand how the drums could have helped set the scene, but in some parts, I was not able to hear what the actors were saying because of the live percussion. During the church service scene and some of the scenes in the car, this was distracting and not helpful in advancing the plot. I thought the casting of this show was perfect. I felt the actors and actresses portrayed their characters so well and with clear relationships with one another. The tempo of the show could have sped up through some scenes, such as the ones in the grandparents’ apartment, but for the most part they kept a good rhythm going. There was definitely not any dead time between scenes and no awkwardly long pauses that felt unnecessary, so that definitely helped keep a good pace for the show. The acting in the show was was very intentional. I, as an audience member, appreciated the distinct vocal tones and body language of the actors. They all made specific choices confidently and without distraction creating an illusion of another reality. Some of the most notable moments in the play, to me, were the monologues of the children when they had grown up and the audience saw that they all were struggling with things that either the parents struggled with or were struggling with due to the parents’ actions during their childhood. Rebecca successfully convinced the audience she was inebriated during her monologue while also showing the audience her intense pain over her brother’s death and her previous life choices. Another strong acting moment I noticed was Stephen’s monologue. Stephen was a character that required so many strong emotions and a very graphic, sexual scene that the actor handled with dignity and professionality. Through his intentional pauses, specific hand gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice, Stephen’s monologue gave the audience the chills of realness and grief from a scene that could have easily been disaster. Overall, this show was performed very professionally and to the best that the playwright allowed. I was kept entertained and aware throughout the entire show, and I was able to understand what was happening in the plot the entire time. This was very refreshing, considering it was a very serious show with very serious themes and concepts. At times, I was distracted by the live percussion or upset by the plot itself, but the acting was executed excellently.

Jones, Chris. "Review: 'Long Christmas Ride Home' the Saddest Holiday Show in Town."Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, 05 Jan. 2016. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.