Tim Getman (Anthony) and Beth Hytlon (Rosemary). Photo by Stan Barouh.
Everyman Theatre’s third production of their 25th Anniversary season opened to a lobby bursting with traditional live Irish music and a full house. Outside Mullingar, written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Donald Hicken, brings Baltimore audiences a love letter straight from the Emerald Isle.
Outside Mullingar is about Anthony and Rosemary, two reclusive loners in their 40s. They are long-time neighbors on their rural farms in Ireland, and ever since a childhood incident between these two, Rosemary has been determined to have Anthony as her own. As time slides by, Rosemary is getting frustrated and angry over Anthony’s lack of attention. So when Anthony’s father threatens to disinherit him from the farm, Rosemary decides she has had enough and is ready to fight for what she wants.
Outside Mullingar is a unique love story that is beautiful, endearing, quirky and not to be missed.
This four-person ensemble cast work well together. Each actor slips gently into his or her characters. They ably avoid sliding into exaggerated caricatures of small-town Irish sheep and cattle farmers with too-heavy accents. They are genuine, with a slight lilt of a gentle Irish brogue (Gary Logan, Dialects).
That isn’t to say that there is no passion in this play. Rosemary (Beth Hylton) projects passion and then some as soon as she stomps her way onto the stage, with her anger, her stubbornness, and her deep love for her very handsome neighbor, Anthony (Tim Getman).
Hylton is almost physically unrecognizable with her shoulder length blond hair and clothes designed more for function than fashion. This is a big change from her turn as Elvira in Everyman’s production of Blithe Spirit, with both costumes perfectly designed by Ben Argenta Kress. Hylton captures Rosemary’s intense passion and frustration to perfection, so much so that and I found myself rooting for her from that first stomp.
Anthony is clueless of Rosemary’s feelings toward him, mostly because he holds a secret about himself that he is convinced would, if revealed, make any woman would run from him. He holds his secret as an impenetrable shield of armor around his heart. Getman as Anthony is adorable. He pulled me in, and clearly not me alone. When his secret (wild, interesting, and lovely) was revealed, I heard a collective sigh emerge throughout the audience.
Although Helen Hedman, as Rosemary’s mom Aoife, and Wil Love, as Anthony’s dad Tony, had smaller roles, they were marvelous as aging parents.
Daniel Ettinger wows again with his set design. Rolling green hills are projected on a backdrop that splits down the middle to accommodate sliding set pieces that evoke the main focus of each scene. The first is a “bachelor” farmhouse kitchen, home to Anthony and Tony, with overloaded shelves and dirty dishes everywhere. The second is a makeshift porch attached to a tool shed, the third is Rosemary and Aoife’s clean and organized kitchen and the last is a roadside gate. The latter gate divides the two properties and blocks Anthony’s and Tony’s access to the main road (another point of contention between Anthony and Rosemary). Each one of these large set pieces slide down the stage from different directions and lock into place beautifully.
Jesse Belsky and Phillip Owen (Lighting Design and Sound Design/Music, respectively) brought magic to the stage with the ever-present Irish rain.
Outside Mullingar is a unique love story that is beautiful, endearing, quirky and not to be missed.
Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
Outside Mullingar runs though January 10, 2016 at Everyman Theatre, 315 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. For tickets call 410.752.2208 or click here.
See original at: http://kevintumbles.tumblr.com/post/135200033715 via http://kevintumbles.tumblr.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment