This weekend, The Green Room Theatre presents “Eleemosynary”, a show that’s easier to swallow than it’s name is to spell.
The show centers around three generations of the Westbrook family women: Dorothea, the grandmother; Artemis, or Artie, Dorothea’s daughter; and Echo, Artie’s daughter. Rather than a linear plot presentation, the show makes us privy to what’s in their heads. As they share their memories from life, we learn what shaped them as a person as well as how they shaped each other, not usually in a good way.
The characters often speak directly to the audience, which makes for an uncomfortable experience, which is brilliant. These fractured woman are telling us, the audience, the things they should be saying to each other. I wanted to stand up and scream, “Tell you mother that. It would repair your relationship.” That’s quite an emotional connection.
It helps, too, that the space is such that the audience is above the stage, looking down on the actors. It’s as if we’re on a jury, with these three women pleading their cases before us. How easy it is to judge these women for their faults. But, then again, how uncomfortable the positioning made me feel, as the protrayals show me I am not in a position to judge, figuratively. I am just as fractured by my surroundings, my family as are these women. It’s a good discomfort, as it adds an element of empathy, strengthening the experience.
Dorothea is a pseudo-eccentric, playing the part to make life easier. Susan McPeters, who is not new to the Quad Cities stage, comes across very naturally. There’s no effort for her, here, as she embodies the role. I adored her Dorothea, wishing she and I could sit down and have a cup of tea while she shared her stories with me.
Artie is a highly intelligent wreck, ruined by Dorothea’s cold response to Artie’s demanding attributes. Artie, who we’re told likes rules, often breaks them, running away from uncomfortable situations often, one of them being her daughter, Echo. Angela Elliott, who recently moved to the Quad Cities, is Artemis. She comes across as the most real or raw, in terms of being in touch with the emotion of her character. This is especially true when she’s speaking directly to the audience.
And then there’s Echo. Sweet little Echo, who loves to spell, admires her grandmother, Dorothea, greatly and wants a relationship with her mother, whom she also seems to hate. This role is adorably played by Abby VenGerpen, a St. Ambrose student. Right away, I was impressed with her performance. This young woman knows her craft and plies it expertly on stage. There’s a point where Dorothea asks Echo, “Don’t you want to fly?” and Echo says “I do.” And I believe her. And I believe that she could fly because she believes she can fly. This simple line, “I do”, is the most believable and, for me, touching line uttered in the entire show.
What’s interesting, though, is that I thought none of the women portrayed their characters as the script implied they should be portrayed. Dorothea’s lines and description from the other characters seemed to describe her as a harsh, haughty, cold woman with a sense of great self-importance. This is not how she’s portrayed. Instead, McPeters gives her a bright soul and a loving heart, with a bit of a firm hand when handling her daughter, Artie. As for Artie, the play wants to portray her as a rebel, a woman with aimless direction. But, Elliott gives Artie a natural flow to life, as a regular woman who just doesn’t deal with problems well. And Echo, who should perhaps lean much more to the smart and dull side is quite giddy. But, this misrepresentation of the characters as scripted is the production’s strength. The actresses portray these ladies more as real women, who you and I might interract with on a daily basis, rather than as characatures. And that strengthens the emotion of the play and ties us closer to these characters, making for a deeper impact on us, the audience.
Eleemosynary runs this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at The Green Room Theatre in Rock Island. The address is 1611 2nd Avenue, which is the original location of the former Brew & View movie theater. Tickets are $15, cash or check only. For tickets, call (309) 786-5660.
Posted: February 21st, 2008 under Theater.
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