"Composition" - Difficult Musical Etude
"Composition," in world premiere at Hartford's TheaterWorks through Mar. 11, is unsettling. Henry (role taken by playwright/actor Timothy McCracken) is a young composer who cannot progress with a piano piece he's written. Randy Redd furnishes the music and McCracken plays the upright piano. Blocked at, with, and by a specific sequence, he, the picture of the contorted artist, appears to be on the brink of a breakdown. Again and again.
He shares an NYC apartment (somewhere near the Lincoln Tunnel) with Curtis (Tommy Schrider), who writes often but is uninspired. Alexandra (Tara Falk) is involved -- well, she sleeps with Curtis. Sympathizing with Henry, Alex (a former cellist) explains that she knew Henry's now-deceased sister, Lucy -- who was a wonderful cellist.
So, Henry is a wreck while the less tortured Curtis attempts to lift his buddy out of the doldrums. Alex, adorned in many an outfit by Camille Assaf, is pivotal.
"Composition" is simultaneously interesting and exasperating. Perhaps the artistic team, inclusive of director Steve Campo, seeks that type of response. To its credit, the piece is complex and probing. Questions are raised and only some are answered; this is all to the good.
Yet, the evening is broken into fragments by the many, many, many blackouts which separate mini-scenes. The "go dark" punctuation annoys.
McCracken does an excellent job of inhabiting the Henry he has created. Schrider paints Curtis as a character without a naturally likable upside. Tara Falk creates an original Alex, a woman who is sincere, genuine, warm, and selfless. Will, however, the audience find her appealing?
The best portion of "Composition" occurs just before intermission when the script is sharp and enticing. Patrons must ponder just what occurs during the next segment. The final hour of the play, though, is fairly predictable. I will not divulge the conclusion.
All of that said, TheaterWorks (featuring a reality-based set by Adrain W. Jones) must garner applause for taking an educated risk by staging a play which, previously, has been performed in workshop or reading environments. "Composition" includes some excellent writing and some of the moments during its two hour running time are special ones. It would be far safer yet less ambitious to bring in a proven work.
www.theaterworkshartford.org. (860) 527-7838
He shares an NYC apartment (somewhere near the Lincoln Tunnel) with Curtis (Tommy Schrider), who writes often but is uninspired. Alexandra (Tara Falk) is involved -- well, she sleeps with Curtis. Sympathizing with Henry, Alex (a former cellist) explains that she knew Henry's now-deceased sister, Lucy -- who was a wonderful cellist.
So, Henry is a wreck while the less tortured Curtis attempts to lift his buddy out of the doldrums. Alex, adorned in many an outfit by Camille Assaf, is pivotal.
"Composition" is simultaneously interesting and exasperating. Perhaps the artistic team, inclusive of director Steve Campo, seeks that type of response. To its credit, the piece is complex and probing. Questions are raised and only some are answered; this is all to the good.
Yet, the evening is broken into fragments by the many, many, many blackouts which separate mini-scenes. The "go dark" punctuation annoys.
McCracken does an excellent job of inhabiting the Henry he has created. Schrider paints Curtis as a character without a naturally likable upside. Tara Falk creates an original Alex, a woman who is sincere, genuine, warm, and selfless. Will, however, the audience find her appealing?
The best portion of "Composition" occurs just before intermission when the script is sharp and enticing. Patrons must ponder just what occurs during the next segment. The final hour of the play, though, is fairly predictable. I will not divulge the conclusion.
All of that said, TheaterWorks (featuring a reality-based set by Adrain W. Jones) must garner applause for taking an educated risk by staging a play which, previously, has been performed in workshop or reading environments. "Composition" includes some excellent writing and some of the moments during its two hour running time are special ones. It would be far safer yet less ambitious to bring in a proven work.
www.theaterworkshartford.org. (860) 527-7838
posted by Fred Sokol at 5:27 AM
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