Gritty, raw, sensual, decadent, warm, loving, tragic, these are all the emotions one see’s on stage at the T.U. Theater in North Hollywood when they experience the Sam Shepard classic Fool for Love.
This wonderfully directed production by Gloria Gifford involves the audience in the lives of two lonely and lost people, May and Eddie. They are more than just star crossed lovers on a destructive path; they were destined to fail before they were born. We are not just watching this production from our seats; we are transformed and transfixed on these characters. We are not a side show observing the action but we’re almost as an integral part of each and every character that sweats, yells, and loves on the stage.
Fool for Love was written by one of America’s most honest and deeply moving playwrights, Sam Shepard. It is a story about two people that should never have met, should never have shared an immoral past brought on by another generation of lost souls. They try to relentlessly get away from each other, to start a new life, one’s a rodeo rider, a wondering cowboy, and the other a waitress, a clerk, a whatever can- do- girl. It doesn’t work for long as they are pulled together as much as they are pulled apart. Is this just passion or is it obsession? Although this classic Sam Shepard play has dated references to music and cars, its theme is timeless. The handsome desperate cowboy and the beautiful lustful and lonely woman intertwined with disastrous and uncertain consequences. It has many hidden secrets to go around and is a wonderful evening at the theater.
After travelling for days to find his one true forbidden love May, Eddie kicks into high gear. He brings with him an unseen angry visitor known as the ‘Countess’. We later learn she is also desperate and has followed him all the way to this secret. In fact, almost everyone on stage is angry, upset and feels left behind in some sort of way. We first see May frozen, almost catatonic on a bed in a dusty, dirty motel room somewhere in the southwest desert. She hasn’t seen Eddie in awhile and has tried to start a new life anxious needing some normalcy, something that others have. She yearns for any connection where she can leave the dysfunctional past behind. It is here that the haunted figure of The Old Man sits in the corner commenting on his self serving version of painful events. It is here in this depressing room that May is waiting for a glimmer of hope from her gentleman friend Martin to arrive and take her away from her desperation. It is here that Eddie demands back into her life once again to rekindle the love, the fears, the memories, the lies, and long ago secrets.
It doesn’t really matter if you are a fan of big commercial theater productions or local theater; this is a production that should not be missed. It may be the best theater experience you have this year. The acting is superb by all, and the demanding performances of being on stage for a solid 80 minute with emotional highs and lows envelopes the entire room. Of course the writing is superior and the New York trained director Gloria Gifford is obviously talented and wise in her choices. Lauren Plaxco shows a range of emotions as the confused tormented May that can rival any actor in any production small or large. Chad Doreck as Eddie is not only wonderful to look at in all forms, he emotes the character so well one might think he really was a cowboy. Strong and convincing as the mysterious Old Man, Robert May brings life to this character. And finally, sweet Martin, who walks into a maze of crazy with Eddie and May. Zach Kilian knows how to present this character very well as just an innocent guy who just wants to take the pretty girl to a movie.
The staging is perfectly limited to allow the actors and the story to shine, by Jamaica Moon Productions and the GCC Players. The direction is astute and I would buy my tickets immediately. It is not often that this type of production and acting is available. Is now showing Saturdays and Sundays through September 29th, 2013 at T.U. Studios, 10943 Camarillo St., North Hollywood, 91602. (310)366-5505 for information. http://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=588996
