Thespian Thoughts: Wit
WIT is frank, honest and a dazzling life affirming play with wonderful, smart humour.
Thespian Thoughts was blown away at the Terrace Theatre in Hollywood, at what has to be the most incredible acting we’ve seen so far in LA. The Actors Co-op is staging the Pulitzer Prize winning drama, WIT, by Margaret Edison. An outstanding play, the story centres around Vivian Bearing, a professor of 17th Century poetry specializing in the Sonnets of John Donne. After being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, we see the bold journey she embarks on over the course of 12 months, confronting her life past and present. A play about cancer? I hear you all say. How drab? Absolutely not. WIT is frank, honest and a dazzling life affirming play with wonderful, smart humour. It was actually quite ironic how much the audience laughed during the course of 90 minutes, while looking at the set of a patient room in a Cancer hospital. For in essence, this is not a play about cancer, it is a story about a person finding grace for the first time.
A standing ovation was definitely in order for the actress, Nan McNamara’s outstanding portrayal of Vivian. She kept us all engaged, tackling the demanding language with ease and intense emotion. She carried the play with superb strength and brought me to tears by the end of the play.
And now it’s time for Fabulous Fashion. Of course, there is only so far fashion can go in the confines of a hospital room, however, this week Judith Jones really takes her hat off for Mcnamara’s devotion to her craft, as she actually has shaved her head to demonstrate with truth, Vivian’s cancer diagnosis. Not many people would do that in Hollywood, that’s for sure…! Good on you.
And Judith Jones’ phantastic phrase of the play
“Brevity is the soul of wit”
Judith cannot express enough, if there is any play to go and see this season, it has to be WIT!
Running now until March 28th at the Terrace Theatre in Hollywood.
WIT
Directed by Marianne Savell, Produced by David Scales
Featuring: Lori Berg, Beth Castle, Phil Crowley, Allison Freeman, Nan McNamara, Tawny Meres, Daniel J. Roberts, Kathryn Scott, and Preston Vanderslice
Set Designer: Gary Lee Reed
Costume Designer: Paula Higgins
Lighting Designer: James L Moody
Original Music: Joseph King Barkley
Stage Manager: Leticia Gonzalez
Actors Co-op Terrace Theatre,
1760 N. Gower S, Hollywood
For reservations call 323 462 8460, ext 300
Regular: $30
Seniors (60+) $25
Students w/ ID: $20
All the World’s a Stage!
You will not see better acting or a better production anywhere. Go if you can!