WHERE: Boston Playwrights' Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave. The gibberish helps us know that, like Helen, like her daughter Barb, like everyone touched by this disease of removal, we're not going to understand it. It explodes into a climactic scene, where Barb brilliantly comes unhinged over her mother's "departure," and actually serves as a gentle guide for the audience. The gibberish dialogue, at first tossed off haphazardly, recurs with increasing frequency. Scenes overlap, some with furious intensity, to add to the cognitive confusion. Frosted glass sliding doors (which must be fixed - props that don't work elegantly are an unnecessary distraction) allow characters to partially appear to Helen's clouded senses. Boxes holding the artifacts of Helen's life, a clever prop that underscores the narrative, remain scattered throughout. But it's something we know must be happening inside every Helen we meet.ĭirector Megan Schy Gleeson smartly stages "Absence" on a single, narrow set. Helen doesn't disappear, she transforms - something we cannot see in real life, and certainly cannot comprehend emotionally. He does what we cannot do - he releases Helen from the trap of her mind. Bright shifts the action from impossibly serious and pessimistic, to insightful and alive. He embodies her disease, gently convincing her that all her memories are a burden, reassuring her that as he strips away her experiences, he's just easing away unwanted troubles.ĭr. A figment of Helen's imagination, dressed (of course) in white with risible pastel overtones, he appears only to her - grinning and obsequious, flirty and trenchant as well. Bright (cheerfully brought to life by Bill Mootos). Lightweight and compact (weighs less than 250g) and with a microSD card slot, you can watch your favorite movies on the go and enjoy endless hours of music. The theatre bar has a good range of drinks and food available. Next-Generation Personal Cinema Experience Merlinâ s iTheatre Cordless lets you enjoy the ultimate cinema experience on a 80-inch high-definition 1080p virtual screen anywhere, anytime. On street parking and car parks are easy to find around the theatre. They aren't sure what to do with Helen they also aren't sure what to do with themselves.įloyd's foil, the character who makes it all coalesce, is the jester Dr. 399 2 minutes read Reviewed by Nigel Chester The Theatre Royal, is a great theatre, having some of the best transport links in the country including a tram stop right outside the door. In fact, one of the beauties of Floyd's piece is that the characters around Helen are as confused as she is. 'Sweet Jesus.Gradually, as she progresses in the disease, she moves from her own home, to her daughter's home, then to an institution. 'Yes.' Sharpe's shoulder hurt like the devil. Lossow swore in German, stood up, flinched as he put his weight on his left leg. A priest, lost in the depths of the choir, mumbled beyond the window light, and Sharpe saw Harper cross himself. Light, like carved silver, slashed the cathedral's gloom, slanted across the crouching grey pillars, splintered o(T brass and paint, drowned the votive candles that burned before the statues, inched its way over the broad, worn flagstones as the sun moved higher, and Sharpe waited. Lossow stood up, wiped blood from his hands. It doesn't offend me and if it offends Him then He's plenty of opportunity to punish you.' Segment Three: Servo, using a bogus magic book, accidentally turns Mike. 'Sweet Jesus.' Harper stood up, 'Are you all right, sir?' Segment Two: Servo and Crow review each other.
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