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ON CT & NY THEATREBy Marlene S. GaylinnCT Critics Circle / ctcritics.org February/2013

ANCESTRAL VOICES

Music Theatre of CT (MTC) Westport CT

Most everyone likes to tell stories about

coming of age experiences - - but is anyone outthere willing to hear them? With my own

family members, the days of grandmother

tales are over. Sadly, this is the way I feelabout A.R. Gurneys play, Ancestral Voices.

In our fast-paced, multi-media society, it seems

that only select audience members have the

patience to listen to words without much action.By Gurneys own admission, what began as a

novel that was rejected by several publishers,eventually turned into a play. The work still has

the elements of a novel that is being read aloud.

At MTC, five players read their lines while

realistically portraying their characters througha series of vignettes. Some actors play several

characters while the child observer, Eddie,

acts as the narrator and becomes a participant.The incorporation of smooth, character

transitions is due to Gurneys fine writing, andthe expertise of director, Kevin Connors, whoalways does wonders with this intimate theatre.

Michael McGurk speaks to us as buddies.

Through him, we feel the close relationship with

grandfather, Ed, and the resentment he hastowards the man he is forced to call Uncle

Roger. John Little very effectively plays both

Eddies loving grandfather, and his formerfriend, Roger -- the man who stole his wife and

property during his retirement years. Jo Anne

Parady gives a marvelous portrayal of Eddiesmaterialistic grandmother. She also plays the

southern belle, Fanny, who tries to attract

Eddies jilted grandfather. Told against thebackground of World War II, there were

changes within this WASP family, and our

society in general that are still familiar to many.

Plays to Feb. 17 Tickets: 203-454-3883

STONES IN HIS POCKETS

Yale Repertory Theatre New Haven, CT

If you know the Irish and its colorful

storytellers, Stones in His Pockets can take onseveral meanings, but in short, the play is about

what happens when an American film company

decides to invade a small, Irish town in order tomake a movie called Quiet Valley a pun on

The Quiet Man film featuring John Wayne.

One might ask if the stones in the plays title

represent the events that proceed to weigh downthe community, or, are they meant to be a

gathering of clever words -- pebbles to bethrown at the intruders and their pretentious

values? The meaning is subjective.

Whats really interesting about this work is

that just two, very gifted actors/storytellers, FredArsenault and Euan Morton, also represent the

townspeople and the film crew. Under the

careful direction of Evan Yionoulis, eachperformer plays several male and female roles

and these changes are accomplished so quicklyand smoothly, that it seems like a cast of dozensare making split-second, scene entrances.

The flavor of the wisecracking Irish people has

definitely been captured here but the novelty of

the character changes can become confusing andtiresome. The play is 90-minutes long including

one intermission, whereas one act would have

been enough. While Stones in His Pocketswon Londons Olivier Award for Best Comedy,

some clever phrases are unfortunately lost to

American audiences, despite the program notes.However, if you listen carefully, its the

lighthearted, yet spirited flavor of the Irish

people that the play imparts, along with a twirland a bit of a jig thrown in. Audiences packed

the theatre and certainly seemed to enjoy it.

Plays to Feb. 16 Tickets: 203 432

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PETER PAN

Palace Theatre Waterbury, CT

Cathy Rigby is still flying high as Peter Panand she plans to land at Waterburys PalaceTheatre for four performances beginning on

February 15. Ms. Rigby, an Olympic gymnast

began her role in1990, and achieved four Tony

Nominations for her four Broadway revivals ofthe show. She also received several Emmy

Awards when the production appeared on TV.

Like her favorite character, Rigby seems toreside in Never-Never Land as she continues

to retain her youthful charm in this lively, all-

new stage production based on J.M. Barrieschildrens book.

Peter Pan not only captivated Cathy Rigby for

so many years, the character has captured the

imaginations of countless children. From myown experience, our grandchild, who frequently

visited Disney World on her birthday, fell in

love with its Peter Pan. Now in her twenties,Danielle is fulfilling her childhood dream as a

performer aboard a Disney cruise ship.

At the Palace Theatre, Brent Barret, of

Broadways Chicago, Annie Get Your Gun andWest Side Story, plays the evil Captain Hook.

Kim Crosby, who played Cinderella in theoriginal production of Into the Woods, is Mrs.

Darling. The show promises lots of action and

magical feats. When fairy dust is sprinkled

on the youngsters in the audience, they aredrawn right into Peters adventures against the

mean pirates that have captured Wendy.

Plays: Feb. 15-17 Tickets: 203-345-2000