What I liked
What Here Comes Rutherford “gets” more than many solo shows is a meaningful arc. It answers and resolves a question or struggle, in this case processing the immediate death of his father and also, by turn, that of his mother. The details are intensely personal and unique to the creator of the piece, yet the experience is universal. My favorite sequence was a reading of various letters his father wrote his mother while away at war. Jill Andre staged this against a backdrop of projected photos that added color and depth without taking away from the theatrical moment. This piece gave me comfort and a sense of oneness with the performer that another medium could not.
What I didn't like
Everything about this production was seamless; the writing, the direction, the staging, the production values and especially the performance. I would not change a thing.
My overall impression
I have seen a lot of theatre including one-person shows and this was one of the most moving pieces I have ever been lucky enough to witness. Thomas Silcott, with the aid of Jill Andre’s exceptional staging and direction, has crafted a beautiful love letter to his parents. The beginning in rhymed verse segues into passages of dialogue, a reading from Shakespeare, a little stand-up bass playing and warm, simple strokes of impressions of his parents. Through various modes of expression and an amazingly intuitive knack for pacing and rhythm Thomas finds a way to make sense of his Father’s passing. It is an exceptional piece of theatre. I look forward to seeing this piece again and any other created by the magical team of Thomas and Jill.
