Excerpted from The Blade, Toledo, Ohio, Section D, Page x, March 14, 2001
Humor softens drama’s intensity
BY TAHREE LANE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
When timid Gabby goes to the psychiatric hospital to collect her adult daughter, she’s overcome with anxiety.
She doesn’t know what to expect, hasn’t lived with Nicole for many years, and wonders what she may have done to contribute to her offspring’s manic depression. She draws an initial pang from the audience when she says, "It’s crippling when something goes wrong with your child."
And then, wham! Like an explosion at a fireworks factory, Nicole is glued to her side, chattering a mile a minute, embarrassing Gabby in restaurants, and concocting plans to change the world while filling the personality void she calls "Mom."
Graced with solid acting by the Village Players’ four-member cast, Not Waving, a play written by Gen LeRoy and directed by Nancy Wright, is an interesting couple of hours. LeRoy named it from part of a poem by the late British writer, Stevie Smith: "I was much too far out all my life and not waving, but drowning."
The story weaves together Nicole’s save-the-world passions and charms with her troublesome behaviors that most of the world will not tolerate. Counterbalancing her intensity are steady doses of droll humor from Gabby, a retired widow bravely trying to cope.
In a manic phase, Nicole (Tiffany Noel Taylor) drags her long-suffering mother through one misadventure after another. There’s cat-nabbing, karate classes, walks through creepy neighborhoods before dawn, and Nicole’s grand gesture of generosity - she donates all her mother’s furniture and belongings to the needy.
Both actors do the essential: They craft characters we understand and care about. We root for them, rejoicing and despairing with them.
But it is tempting for an actor whose character faces transformation to over- or underplay a role. Is it the director’s concern that the audience might miss the subtlety, or might not appreciate any change less than 180 degrees?
Gabby (Diana West) takes the stage as the soul of vapidity, but she’s too bland and nervous for the transformation she makes to Xena, Warrior Mother. And we wish Nicole would have shown us more of the darkness falling upon her as her high-roller phase evaporates. Both, however, are endearing and deliver big chunks of dialogue in ways that we believe.
Two other actors, Laura Fleck and Andrew J. Neary, have the fun of portraying more than a dozen characters between them. They make it look easy.
The lack of set changes keeps each act barreling along at an enjoyable clip. Kudos to Matt Wiederhold for the Van Gogh-inspired set of midnight-blue panels splashed with yellow spirals of suns and stars.
Congratulations, also, to this plucky little theater. It appears to be in tip-top shape, has a great sound system, a legion of courteous volunteers, and an excellent Web site. Best of all, it’s had a string of winners this season.
"Not Waving" runs through March 24 at the Village Players Theatre, 2740 Upton Ave. There are discounts for showing a Food Town Plus card.
Last Modified: 02/25/06