Berkshire Theatre Group, Stockbridge, MA
through October 23, 2016
by Shera Cohen
A bit different review than normal. Let’s first look at all
of the many pluses.
Collaboration: I applaud collaborations, the efforts of two
or more theatre troupes to plan and executing all elements of theatre to make a
play complete. In this case, Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) and WAM Theatre, are
the team.
American Premier: Theatre companies often give birth, in a
sense, to new works. While not the first time on the stage, BTG has extended
its reach to mount a first time experience of “The Bakelite Masterpiece” in the
United States. Thank you.
Acting Teams: This two-actor play stars David Adkins and
Corinna May -- familiar faces in the Berkshires. I have had the pleasure of
seeing both act, separately; Adkins primarily at BTG and May at Shakespeare
& Company. In real life, the two are married. These are two excellent
actors.
Set Direction: Oftentimes, our reviews offer little space to
discuss the crew that make a play possible. Kudos to Juliana Von Haubrich for
purposely ugly, barren, and dark staging which is a perfect fit (literally and
figuratively) to the production and its characters.
Talk Back: If ever offered the opportunity, my
recommendation is to stay after the curtain falls, so to speak, to listen to
and/or participate in the Talk Back. In a casual setting, actors and producers,
directors, etc. sit on the stage and answer questions from the audience. The
actors discuss their preparation to create the roles, their thoughts about the
production, and often direct questions to the audience. “Masterpiece” benefited greatly through the process of Talk Back. In fact, had the program
book and/or a short Pre-Talk taken place, this play would have been a better
production. For instance, information that the play was essentially
biographical would have made a world of difference in understanding the context
and setting.
This last on the list of my “pluses” segues to my overall
thoughts. You may have assumed that this was not one of my favorite plays or
productions. The “Masterpiece” plot involves a mixture of politics, history,
and art with truth, deception, justice, and Vermeer. There’s just too much, all
jammed into 75 minutes.
