Reviewer: Kristine Gotham
4 actors, a minimalist set, and snowy backdrops create the environment for Pit and Balcony’s newest production of Almost, Maine. Set in an area of Maine called Almost (it’s not a town because the citizens have not been organized), Almost, Maine tells the story of love; love lost, love found, joy and happiness found in love, and heartbreak when love is denied. Through a series of vignettes, we see the actors navigate the ins and outs of love as couples. We feel the innocence of love that is just blossoming, the vulnerability, as one declares their feelings to another for the first time. We feel the heartbreak as another couple realizes that the love they once shared has been lost along the way. We feel the anticipation as one who thought love was lost to him forever is presented with the possibility of a new and lasting love, if he is willing to risk his heart again. And we feel the pain of another as she realizes that the love she let slip away so very long ago cannot be rekindled simply because she wants it to be.
Director, Joshua Abram Lloyd, chose a cast of actors who worked so well together that the audience was fully engaged in each couple’s journey. Each actor (Kennedy Danner, Matthew Howe, Dan Kettler and Lindsay McLaughlin) plays many different roles in this production. They may be the one seeking love or they may be the one rejecting the love that is being offered. No matter which side of the coin they are portraying, every one is played with depth and an honesty that helps the audience to feel as if they are witnessing a couple in real time, falling in love, falling out of love.
The set and lighting design are perfect for the stories being told. From the light of a single lamp post, to the brilliance of the Northern Lights, each scene is crafted with care. The beautiful snowy background provides just the right atmosphere for the locale and helps the audience to really feel that they are in the northern US. The warm colors used in the set pieces create a softness that makes one feel as if they are witnessing real life rather than a fictional story being told on stage. The choice of costuming is realistic to life in the cold, from the warm coats and hats, to the long underwear, each costume fits not only the environment but the scene being acted out.
Almost, Maine is a fictional story being told onstage, but each of us in the audience can relate to the reality of the situation, offering our heart to another person and hoping they will accept it. This production is one that is perfect for this time of year, Valentine’s Day, and it is one that you don’t want to miss. The show continues at Pit and Balcony on February 15 at 730 pm, February 16 at 3 pm, February 21 and 22 at 730 pm and February 23 at 3 pm. Tickets are available at the Box Office or online.
Featured at Saginaw Art Museum