Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield, MA
through July 11, 2015
by Jarice Hanson
If this review had a title, it would be “A Perfect Night at
the Theater.” Shining City is a well-crafted, thoughtful play full of surprises
by Conor McPherson, interpreted impeccably by a talented cast that includes
Mark H. Dold, Wilbur Edwin Henry, Deanna Gibson, and Patrick Ball. Director
Christopher Innvar knows how to use the intimate space of the St. Germain stage
to full advantage, and draws the audience into the action from the subtle,
pre-curtain rainfall in the background to the last moment of the 95-minute
production that takes your breath away.
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| Photo by David Fertik |
The story begins with the awkward first meeting of a
psychologist and his a new client. Ian (Dold) and John (Henry) engage in the
initial small talk the way men do—staccato utterances peppered with affirmation
and uncomfortable attempts to go beyond the superficial, but as John’s pain
unfolds, the audiences learns of his late wife and his personal demons. John is
suffering and knows that desires are sometimes as misleading as the thoughts he
battles in his mind. He is searching for a reality that he knows may not exist,
and the reality that emerges brings the stories of the two men into alignment,
and simultaneously bridges mind/body, and theare/reality.
The artistic vision shared by every member of the cast and
production team is so clear, the audience can’t help but be moved by the
individual stories and the sense of aloneness that emerges in Ian’s cold little
Dublin office. When John comes to terms with his loss in a brilliantly
effective monolog, Ian’s body language not only communicates understanding on
multiple levels, but the audience is treated to a master class in acting and
interpreting the text. Dold and Henry are a formidable duo, and with
McPherson’s words and Innvar’s guiding hand, the production gives its viewers
something to think and talk about.
The title, "Shining City," refers to a Biblical
passage (the play is Irish, so guilt and religion are expected) but the
storytelling is unforgettable.
