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| Left to right: Laura Ellis, Scott Goodman, Carol T. Williams & Susan Crocker in The Snowflake Theory. Photo by Doug Schutte. |
The Snowflake Theory
By Nancy Gall Clayton
Directed by Kathi E.B. Ellis
Reviewed by Craig Nolan Highley
Entire contents are copyright © 2012, Craig Nolan
Highley. All rights reserved.
The Bard’s Town is rapidly becoming the place to go in Louisville to see strong performances of
alternative theater. Longstanding groups such as Finnigan Productions and Le
Petomane have started performing there, and it is home to its own company, The
Bard’s Town Theater. I’ve gotten familiarized with the place through such
productions as the first Ten-Tucky
Festival, the latest Finnigan
Festival, and most recently A Derby
Carol – mostly very off-beat and eccentric productions to say the least.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see that the latest show to
tread their boards is Nancy Gall Clayton’s far more traditional and
down-to-earth The Snowflake Theory.
It’s a Neil Simon-esque story with heart, and avoids the
pitfalls of a lot of local original plays like clunky dialogue and a penchant
for self-indulgence. It is a briskly paced tale of changing family values
peopled by characters we can relate to. It is light comedy to be sure, and
never gets big laughs; but it doesn’t need them as it does elicit a lot of
smiles.
Carol T. Williams anchors the show with her strong
performance as Marge Klein, a widowed Jewish mother coping with two children
whose lives are not going where she would have wished. Her perpetually single
daughter Rebecca (Susan Crocker, in a lovely and subdued turn) has given up on
ever getting a husband and has had herself artificially inseminated. Her son
Clark (Scott Goodman) plans to quickly marry his flighty-headed girlfriend
Violet (Laura Ellis) and enlist in the Army. When Marge enlists the aid of her
new Rabbi (Ted Lesley), she decides to do some matchmaking that doesn’t quite
turn out the way she intends.
Very strong performances all around bring this well-written
show to life, and Kathi Ellis’s sure direction keeps everything moving at just
the right pace.
The work of an uncredited set designer is also worth noting,
creating two believable locations on the Bard’s Town’s small stage: Marge’s
kitchen and the Rabbi’s office. This is the first time I’ve actually seen an
attempt at a realistic set in this space, and it really is a nice effect.
You’re not going to take any life-altering lessons away from
this warm and friendly piece, but it’s a solid production and definitely worth
seeing. And there’s a restaurant attached, so it’s a perfect date night!
Featuring Susan Crocker, Laura Ellis, Scott Goodman, Ted
Lesley and Carol T. Williams.
The Snowflake Theory
May 10 – 20 @ 7:30 p.m.
The Bard’s Town Theatre
1801 Bardstown Road
Louisville KY 40204
(502) 749-5275
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