My overall impression
Man’s Dominion is a daring journey back in time to rural Tennessee. It’s daring in the sense that it addresses a number of currently controversial areas which, at the time, were not very controversial. While the material is not shocking, it is certainly alarming.
It’s daring in the sense that when you already know how the story ends based on the promotional materials, then you have to provide compelling enough content to hold the attention of the audience which may or may not already be uncomfortable with some of he references.
And it’s daring in the sense that ONE ACTOR has the job of playing every character, often revolving the fully fleshed out characters around each other creating a storytelling web from which I did not want to immediately escape.
Mr. Tim Powell does an astonishing job of carving out very specific characters in such a way that, by the end of the 55 minute show you feel like you already know them well.
Without the benefit of special effects, lighting tricks, silly projected images or any other device, Powell breathes life into every role. I am looking forward to seeing more of his work.
The show is not without flaws. A couple of distracting line choices on the author’s behalf, direction that had pacing problems but only momentarily and only once or twice and one of Powell’s characters was a tad less effective than the others. But all of these little observations are mine alone. You may not even notice them. Unlike 50% of the Fringe show’s that I’ve seen which seemed interminably long, Man’s Dominion zips by and I was left wishing the show was actually a bit LONGER.
The production is most definitely worthy of some kind of recognition (do they even have that?) but if you want to see what complex, daring theater is all about go buy a ticket. I think the show was pretty much sold out after the very first performance but it’s worth a try. Why isn’t this show in a larger venue???
One more thing: as for the rating they want me to select from I’m not going to do that cuz it’s misleading and general. So here’s my rating: “One of the best shows I’ve seen in quite some time.”
