My overall impression
The wit and frayed connections that run through Harry and Sam are the things that make it most successful. It’s a play that’s light on plot, which I always consider to be a good thing; the less to hide behind when telling a story about people’s lives. The direct appeal in watching the story unfurl is to understand how their seemingly meaningless conversations are instead masking a deep pain and betrayal; moments seemingly tossed aside are instead building an infrastructure that ultimately bridges the characters over many years. The acting here is serviceable, with the exception of Jeff Gilbank who has developed into a very charismatic, warm and appealing actor. There are times when the rapid fire dialogue gets lost in the break-neck speed of speech, and I yearned for more time to let everything waft in. But then, it’s probably not meant to. As with any accomplished play, what’s more remarkable isn’t what’s being said, but what they’re saying in the silences. It’s a difficult play to adapt, and props to the director, Matthew D. Fauls, for taking a leap of faith and trusting his own courage and heart to bring this odd, intriguing little story to life.
