Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA
through July 9, 2017
by Mary Fernandez-Sierra
Studded with the lovely verses of Walt Whitman, Chester
Theatre’s I and You by Lauren Gunderson shines bright with the fine
performances of its two young stars.
When teenage Anthony (Paul Pontrelli) arrives suddenly in
the bedroom of Caroline (Lilli Hokama) to work on a Walt Whitman homework
project, he announces: “I and this mystery – here we stand!” As the two
youngsters banter cleverly about the beauty and meaning of Whitman’s Leaves of
Grass, they discover all that matters most in their own lives.
Pontrelli and Hokama have a delightful rapport onstage,
shifting from toss-it-all-off brittle teenspeak to adult level conversation
with ease. They magic the audience along into their world like theatrical Pied
Pipers, and are as believable in the dramatic moments of this play as they are
in the comedic ones.
Thanks to sensitive direction by Kristen van Ginhoven, this
story about literature in counterpoint to life never lags in pace or interest.
Walt Whitman’s poetry, interspersed throughout the story, always seems like
song, beautifully performed - and the scene in which Anthony and Caroline share
their favorite contemporary music pieces is an absolute jewel.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of attending any Chester
Theatre play is the outstanding technical/artistic production value, always
present. Juliana von Haubrich’s scenic design, for example, adds a whole other
level to this transcendental tale: Caroline’s room is somehow suggestive of a
teenager’s nest inside the space shuttle, complete with twinkling starlight.
Lighting by Lara Dubin is evocative of what one might
imagine seeing, traveling through the night sky, while Sound Designer Tom
Shread complements the subtle celestial theme with some out-of-this-world sound
effects.
Chester Theatre Company’s I and You is aglow with surprises
and delights, as well as poetry and fine performances. Journey to the hills of
Chester to see it!
