Walnut continues strong showcase in 'The River'
Erica Hope
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment
"To be human is too vulnerable … and who among us isn't human?" It is a young and exposed Eliot, one who is comfortable in his revealing self-awareness, who delivers this question to a charmed Walnut Street Theatre audience. As "Honor and The River" unfolds, we follow the narrating Eliot and watch even the most monstrous antagonists in his life become more human as they reveal their weaknesses.
Eliot is a young prep schooler who forgot how to swim when he lost his father, an Olympic swimmer, years ago. While terrified of the water, the preferably land locked Eliot joins the crew team and finds himself boated with the school's pride and joy, socially accepted, and popular Honor. Eliot quickly develops a crush on his fellow rower and accepts Honor's quest to ford the river and deliver a sculpture to Honor's lady love. In turn, Honor offers to teach Eliot to swim. Their subsequent friendship is a strong one as Honor finds comfort and enough trust to confide in the awkward Eliot, who basks in the attention.
A twist in the events leading to the deliverance of the sculpture breaks the relationship of the boys. Yet their timing is inconvenient as Alcestis, Honor's widowed father and hardened coach of the crew team, has become fascinated with Wawa, Eliot's all too eager to swoon mother.
With their parent's relationship as an uncomfortable, but binding force, Eliot and Honor face another year on the river. Paul L. Nolan, playing Alcestis is convincingly reminiscent of a bullying and tyrannical Coach Woodcock, even eliciting a few laughs as he puts the moves on Wawa - the man is clearly oblivious of his less than appealing name - and bosses the boys around on their boat. Nolan is gruff and demanding, and he delivers a high testosterone performance even until the end where his character learns to accept his son's feelings for a girl as not Honor pulling away, but simply growing up.
This step, which does not fear but accepts the future, is one that Eliot, played by Nicholas Park, makes as well. However, Park is much more winning. As a University of the Arts senior and musical theater major, his performance is solid and endearing. As the play spoke from Eliot's point of view, Park had many monologues which when coupled with his excellent acting capability, did well to capture the deep psychology of a young boy. Onstage, he delivered his discourse while changing or in the bathtub - both times stripping to his underwear without a falter in speech or act. This stripped state highlighted Eliot's vulnerability. Although exposed, Park's comfort attested to the inner strength of his character, making the audience question why vulnerability is seen as discomforting and unsafe.
Eliot is a young prep schooler who forgot how to swim when he lost his father, an Olympic swimmer, years ago. While terrified of the water, the preferably land locked Eliot joins the crew team and finds himself boated with the school's pride and joy, socially accepted, and popular Honor. Eliot quickly develops a crush on his fellow rower and accepts Honor's quest to ford the river and deliver a sculpture to Honor's lady love. In turn, Honor offers to teach Eliot to swim. Their subsequent friendship is a strong one as Honor finds comfort and enough trust to confide in the awkward Eliot, who basks in the attention.
A twist in the events leading to the deliverance of the sculpture breaks the relationship of the boys. Yet their timing is inconvenient as Alcestis, Honor's widowed father and hardened coach of the crew team, has become fascinated with Wawa, Eliot's all too eager to swoon mother.
With their parent's relationship as an uncomfortable, but binding force, Eliot and Honor face another year on the river. Paul L. Nolan, playing Alcestis is convincingly reminiscent of a bullying and tyrannical Coach Woodcock, even eliciting a few laughs as he puts the moves on Wawa - the man is clearly oblivious of his less than appealing name - and bosses the boys around on their boat. Nolan is gruff and demanding, and he delivers a high testosterone performance even until the end where his character learns to accept his son's feelings for a girl as not Honor pulling away, but simply growing up.
This step, which does not fear but accepts the future, is one that Eliot, played by Nicholas Park, makes as well. However, Park is much more winning. As a University of the Arts senior and musical theater major, his performance is solid and endearing. As the play spoke from Eliot's point of view, Park had many monologues which when coupled with his excellent acting capability, did well to capture the deep psychology of a young boy. Onstage, he delivered his discourse while changing or in the bathtub - both times stripping to his underwear without a falter in speech or act. This stripped state highlighted Eliot's vulnerability. Although exposed, Park's comfort attested to the inner strength of his character, making the audience question why vulnerability is seen as discomforting and unsafe.
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tomfeinberg
Custom Term Papers
posted 4/23/09 @ 6:54 AM EST
"To be human is too vulnerable ... and who among us isn't human?" great worgs, I read them somewhere, but I can't remember where...
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