Everything's black and white in world of 'The Awakening'

E yth' ’ bl k d h't
in world of’The Awakening’
° Bible or plan a bank heist (it’s Kate Ritter is strong in the
E R never clear which). role of the sour Crone, varying
____________._________. ' Through costuming, the tug her vocal inflection in order to
"-"""'-""“_'“"'_"‘ of war for control of Bernard fluctuate between passive-ag-
Play suggests ' takes on avisual dimension. Es- gressiveness and open hatred.
powenessness merelda is dressed all in white, In this way she achieves a
. . save for her black rollerskates, fierce presence as the mutter-
|n an ab5Urd|5t wvrld and socks, while the Crone is ing, persistent fly in Bernard’s
dressed in all black, except for ear while also holding her own
BY JENN MCKEE her white socks and slippers; against the confrontational Es-
N@WS AHS Wfffef thus, they areopposites, though merelda. r
' also tightly aligned. Bernard, Such roles are challenging, of
The Dreamland Theatre, by significantly, wears a mix of course, precisely because these
virtue of its name, seems an ap- black and white, emphasizing characters speak and interact
propriate home for Richard Rit- the pull of both women on him, in a highly stylized manner -
ter’s original-play, “The Awak- ~ as well as his indecision. (The that is, in ways that real people
ening,” for its content indeed matching checkerboard on Es- typically don’t. In such a con-
embodies a kind of existential, merelda’s face only works to un- text, characters are primarily
absurdist nightmare. K derline the game that’s under vehicles for the verbal dissec-
In a Samuel Beckett-esque way with Bernard as the tion of philosophical ideas, and
universe, where time and other stakes.) this acts as both an advantage
people don’t seem to exist, , Not surprisingly given the ex- and disadvantage in “The
Bernard (Misha Grey) is caught istential nature of the play, Awakening.” For while it chal-
in the verbal crossfire of his bit- there’s little in the way of action lenges its audience and raises
ter old mother; the Crone (Kate or momentum. The characters _ some important, discussion-
Ritter), and his rollerskating, have variations on the same worthy questions, the play also
drug-consuming, ex-cheer- conversation again and again, to flirts with pretentiousness,
leader lover, Esmerelda (Naia such an extent that Esmerelda such that even a thoughtful the- .
Venturi). finally suggests buying a tape atergoer is occasionally baffled.
Set in a claustrophobic cabin recorder to record themselves, Additionally, some of the dra-
in the Nevada desert, the drama so they won’t have to bother re- ma’s conclusions hint at a pro-
features the Crone perpetually voicing the same ideas the next fundity that isn’t necessarily
rocking in her chain expectorat- day ‘ earned. ‘ _
, ing into a spittoon, and knitting And when Bernard finally Nonetheless, the boldness of
a long, black “tragic scarf” as ~ does make a decision and takes “The Awakening” is something
she spouts mean-spirited cri- action, its relevance and impor- to admire. In theater, it’s rela-_
tiques of the couple. Esmerelda, tance is undercut when the tively easy to give the people
meanwhile, grows so bored that lights go down on Esmerelda what they want. It’s consider-
she paints a black and white and Bernard occupying the ably harder to give them some-
checkerboard onto her face, same space and poses they’d thing that makes them uncom-
pops pills, plays with the grand- assumed at the play’s start. fortable. W '
father clock to make it chime, Thus, despite Esmerelda’s
and nags Bernard to do some- reading of excerpts from self- ”The Awakening”continues Fridays
thing about his mother. And help books about free will, and Saturdays through July 31 at
Bernard, in Hamlet mode, Bernard’s act has changed Dreamland Theater 44 E.Cross St.,
seems paralyzed by his choices, nothing, suggesting humanity’s Ypsilanti. lickets: S 12 (seniors and
so he struggles to tune out both powerlessness in an’ absurd students, 56). Information: (734)
women in order to read the world. 657-2337.