What I liked
The show as written is basically a very extensive monologue, and that means that the monologist has to be someone who can really hold your attention, a person you with whom you can really empathize. Ryan Lisman gives a superb and nuanced performance in that role, simultaneously narrating his own life and living in it. More often than not, he is able to thread the needle between comedy and drama to where you’re laughing one minute and then holding your breath the next. He is at his best, though, when given the chance to play off of his castmates. Lauren Holiday is incredible in her brief yet deep portrayal of the Mother. Steve Voldseth is heartbreaking in his turn as the Father, and yet pulls the audience back together by the end. Isabelle Hahn, as the Actress, is just stellar; her performance is grounded and altogether irresistible for it. At the end of the day, the cast really sold this show for me.
What I didn't like
I was on the fence about the silence between transitions. There were clearly sound effects used within some of the scenes as a whole, and they lent themselves well to each moment, but the dead air and noisy movements did occasionally take me out of the experience. I’ll also say, as someone who attended the opening night performance, that there were a number of times where it felt like Lisman was nearly speeding through the dialogue. Some of the humor landed, but it felt like there were more than a few moments that were intended to be funny but instead went over my head. In a way, it made me wish I had read the play ahead of time so that I knew what all of the jokes were ahead of time. That would have helped immensely.
My overall impression
Nocturne is a courageous show, with the comedy keeping things light in order for the drama to weigh itself accordingly. Filled to the brim with thoughtful and evocative performances from the entire cast, it’ll leave you thinking about it long after the lights have gone down.
