AliveWire Theatrics' Besharet, reviewed by Joanna Bowzer

MacLeod Andrews as Eli and William Green as Samuel, photo credit R. Perry Flowers

AliveWire Theatrics presents
Besharet, written by Chana Porter and directed by Scott Rodrigue
REVIEW BY JOANNA BOWZER

A mysterious man stands in the doorway, unnoticed, silhouetted like a Noir film. So goes the entrance of Eli in Besharet, the inaugural production of AliveWire Theatrics written by Chana Porter and directed by Scott Rodrigue. And, from Eli’s fateful entrance, Besharet explores truth, love, the past, and the lies we tell ourselves and conceal from the ones we care about.

The story centers around Samuel, a middle-aged lawyer, who must come to terms with a transgression committed 25-years before. Hidden, this event has poisoned the relationship between him and his wife Ruth, and as it spills out, facilitated by Eli’s guiding hand, it infects the rest of his life as well. As the play unfolds, his world collapses as do the relationships with both his wife and his young law partner Renee, leaving him with the horror of what he has done. This is, ultimately, his path to forgiveness.

In the production, the cast works dutifully to bring to life Ms. Porter’s compelling script. The performances of Macleod Andrews (Eli) and Olivia Rorick (Ruth) are particularly stunning, drawing the audience deeper into the dark, mystical world which the writer has exquisitely grounded in Jewish folklore.

The direction and the production design were not quite so craftfully executed. While the set served a utilitarian purpose, key entrances, exits and scenes were marred by the actors avoiding dried grass, ducking through curtains, or attempting to hide backstage movement. The transitions between scenes were also awkward and seemed to serve the purpose of pulling the audience out of the play. There are also a number of ‘moments’ that don’t seen grounded in the script which seemed to pull the actors out of the moments that are natural and given.

Nevertheless, it’s nice to see young theater companies take risks while mounting new, originally works. Indeed the piece fits within AliveWire Theaterics’ mantra of connective, charged and current, and this audience member looks forward to seeing more from them in the future.

Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Special opening night performance on Monday, March 7 at 7pm. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students/seniors and can be purchased online at http://www.9thspace.org or by calling 212-352-3101. The March 12 donor evening includes a post-show reception (additional charges apply). Train access via the L to 1st Ave, F to 2nd Ave, N, R to 8th St, or 6 to Astor Place. For more information on the play visit http://www.AliveWireTheatrics.com.

Joanna Bowzer is an NYC-based writer, director and producer with multiple theater and film projects in development. She is the founder of the Generations Theater Project. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/joannabowzer.