What I liked
ibid
What I didn't like
I have a note for another place.
My overall impression
Mandi Riggi’s play Mercy, performed for just three days at the Broadwater Theatre in Hollywood as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, is a masterpiece.
Throughout many scenes, Riggi’s language rises to the level of poetry.
The play centers around the relationships of a British-Iranian family in London with an opening salvo that the matriarch of this family has gone “missing.”
What follows immediately are crisp and insightful scenes that go back in time to slowly divulge to the audience how issues of world history, religious and cultural beliefs and spirituality come together as the audience not only experiences the “answer” to the play’s opening mystery, but is drawn masterfully into these times of world history with wars raging in the Middle East and a contentious US election four months away.
In character before the show, cast-member Bernie White explains to the audience that this production of Mercy has been brought together in a flash, and that some of the actors will be carrying scripts.
The staging of the play is minimalist, with all actors divided in half and sitting in chairs facing each other on opposite ends of the stage, in light shadow, the action taking place center stage. If this staging is also a part of the play being quickly put together, it is something I’d consider retaining as the play develops and begins what I hope will be its necessary march across the United States and the world. With only a rug, a lamp, a few chairs, perfect lighting and a few sound effects, this style of staging places even more emphasis on Riggi’s beautiful words and gives the cast opportunities to live within lines that might otherwise be compromised by more traditional staging. The current stage structure of Mercy allows the acts to quicky move forward, keeping the audience drawn in and needing to adapt immediately to the play’s narrative progress.
Also in his brief introductory remarks, Mr. White mentions that this production of Mercy was trimmed to fit the Hollywood Fringe Festival’s 90-minute required structure. It would certainly be interesting to see what was removed and to experience the play produced in a more typical way.
While it seems that this cast was brought together quickly and will now separate just as quickly, it seems fate brought together a group of actors that all seem perfect for their roles. It would be wonderful if there was a way this cast could reunite and continue to flesh-out Riggi’s beautiful work.
