Opening night bumps made for a stormy journey for “Refuge from the Storm,” but it is an easy and interesting ride overall. The play seems simple enough. Bert (Austin Graham) and Martha (Barbara Keegan) work at a tavern on the sea cliffs of Maine. Todd (Seth Caskey), sitting on a bar stool beside his friend Joe (Rod Davidson), is mourning over his father’s recent death. The bar closes for the night and into the empty tavern enters Doris (Gretchen Koerner) and Tom (Michael Harrity), an unhappily married couple. Their boat has crashed on the rocks and they are lucky to have made it to shore. Throughout the night a series of characters come into the bar: Michael (Dane Bowman), a seaman; Eileen (Kassandra Woodley-Connolly), daughter of the owner of the bar; Jim (David Love), an accountant, together with Candy (Chase McKenna), a cheerful prostitute; and Father Gray (Steve Gunning), a priest.
The play starts out slowly. Keegan’s heavy Irish brogue and Graham’s wavering accent has the audience guessing at the location. Davidson’s delivery and many faces started the evening’s laughter. It was difficult to feel Todd’s grief over his father’s death as Caskey had his face turned almost completely away from the audience. Koerner and Harrity are one-dimensionally angry with each other and the world. It isn’t until the end of the play, that these two actors become comfortable with their characters. Bowman was a tentative storyteller until his exchanges with Woodley-Connolly. He then eases into his character and Woodley-Connolly owns the stage. McKenna is a wonderful Pollyanna prostitute and a much-needed counterweight to Gunning’s overbearing, sanctimonious priest. Love (Candy’s “John”) is believable as a jerk, but comes into his own when he apologizes to Candy and speaks to Tom about his family.
The surprise ending took too long to get to the surprise. (Caskey should have that paper in his hand.) Most of the actors are not completely sure of their relationships to each other. But it is a good cast and one which will certainly solidify as this play continues its run.
Rufuge from the Storm, written and directed by Bill Murphy, playing at The Actors Group Theatre through August 10, 2008.
The Show Runs
Sat, Jul 05 â Sun, Aug 10
Fri, Sat, Sun 8pm
Tickets art $18 :You can Buy Tickets Online or call (323) 960-7719
Actors Group Theatre
4378 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91602
Ample Street Parking
Map
Review by Josephine Moraima
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