Wednesday, September 06, 2000
Theater review
Company shows off in 'Window'
By Jackie Demaline
The Cincinnati Enquirer
You might wonder why a play about a dinner party filled with artfully inclined twentysomethings carries the obscure title Blue Window. It's because playwright Craig Lucas explores many kinds of blue and many kinds of windows in the before, during and after of that dinner party.
One blue window is sky divers' code for standing at the threshold of the sky and persuading your mind to do something that is entirely against human nature — free falling into nothingness and putting your faith in a ripcord and your ability to pull it.
Mr. Lucas' point is that relationships are about free-falling, too. No matter how much you think you know about someone, chances are there is much more you don't know. Which is scary when you're handing someone, if not your ripcord, your heart.
IF Theatre Collective continues its run of Blue Window through the weekend at the University YMCA. IF is one of the fledgling theater companies with serious intentions, which have been popping up across town.
The work by these companies is invariably a mixed bag, but the price — $10 — is right, and there can be delightful discoveries for the adventurous theatergoer.
What's best about Blue Window is the continuing promise demonstrated by director and IF founder Benjamin Mosse.
Blue Window is an intricate, chamber piece with no intermission. Four different households share the playing space simultaneously. That means overlapping dialogue and criss-crossing actors. Mr. Mosse's staging is confident.
Jessica Morgan and Sarah Mann are the ensemble's stand-outs as lesbian lovers. They both give urgent, engaging performances.
The women are significantly better than the men. Lisa Penning plays the evening's hostess Libby, whose floundering ineptitude masks internal scars. Ms. Penning comes into her own as she as removes her social mask. Stephanie Skaff, as a secretary with hidden depths, also comes through with attention-grabbing work when it counts the most.
While the YMCA's y ballroom is a great looking site for theater, its high ceiling swallows dialogue if the actors aren't careful. Production designer Rachel Fenner makes a good effort on what is clearly a low budget, but the lighting is bare bones and the sight lines leave a lot to be desired.
Blue Window, 8 p.m. Thurs day-Saturday, IF Theatre Collective, University YMCA, 270 Calhoun St., 961-7434.
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