New Century Theatre, Northampton, MA
through June 23, 2012
by K.J. Rogowski
New Century Theatre’s production of Annie Baker’s “Circle
Mirror Transformation” is a play that, for a number of reasons, leaves you
hoping for/wanting more. It is incomplete due to both the script and the
presentation.
The play itself is a series of vignettes about average folks
taking a six week acting class. The difficulty for the audience is…too many
vignettes, which start in a direction, developing a thought or character, and
then trail off. Others are just very short, mundane exchanges, and when punctuated
by the many blackouts needed to make scene changes, leave audience members
trying to remember how this play is intended to hold together, and hold
interest. The impact is that it is then difficult to warm up to, or indeed
really care about the characters. Yes, they each have problems and issues, and
the cast does a credible job, and there are a few brief moments of tension, and
a few laughs, but the production does not rise to the accolades given it for
either humor or self-discovery.
The circle concept is reflected in the curved walls, and the
circle floor design, and there are a set of floor to ceiling mirror doors, but
they do not play a role in moving the action. The final scene transitions from
an acting exercise in the last class at the local community center to some time
in the future, as two of the characters meet and talk of where they are now and
what’s happened. But as presented, they are the same people. They have moved
on, but there has been no transformation.
