Review: SONS OF THE PROPHET Hurts So Good

When life becomes almost too much to handle, where do you turn? I say, to the theatre! And SONS OF THE PROPHET written by Stephen Karam at Birmingham Festival Theatre shows us that humor can get us through the pain.

How do you handle grief after losing a parent to a freak accident, or face an unknown illness with no health insurance? How about caring for a younger sibling or an elderly relative? What do you do when your boss is crazy? These are things that could happen to any of us. But hopefully not all at once.

Joseph, the central character in all of these predicaments, is just trying to make it through the day. Joseph is played by Jared Funderburg, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite local actors. Funderburg continues to grow as an actor since the first time I saw him at BFT about a year ago and last night his nuanced performance was his best to date. At the end of act one, he listens to a song and with no words you see exactly how he is feeling.

Brooke Wood as Gloria, is funny and endearing. When she approaches the microphone during a school board meeting in the second act, you know this is going to be a hilarious and awful mistake for everyone involved. Ms. Wood does one of the best jobs of playing drunk I have ever seen. Not slapstick and over the top, but real. As she is leaving the meeting I saw real tears poised in the corners of her eyes.

Penny Thomas is another standout playing multiple parts, each to perfection. Her reactions whenever she is on stage are spot on and I found myself watching her even when she was silent.

Directed by Daniel Martin, also fast becoming a favorite, this show moves quickly and has so many interesting aspects that I don't know where to start. The movement during the scene changes and the costume changes for Funderburg are choreographed expertly into the show. The choice of music was great and worked well, setting the mood for the story. The use of projections was interesting and non-intrusive. All the way from casting, (one of the toughest jobs for a director) to blocking and staging, to the use of lighting, the show is inventive and precise.

Believability is something I long for in the plays I see and last night I felt the whole cast was real and invested in their work. From the subtly shaking hand of a football player trying to read an apology, to the veiled callousness of a reporter who puts "the story" first, each character moved and carried themselves in a convincing way.

I left the theatre wishing I could have a discussion with the playwright, could ask him about different aspects of the play. It is one of those shows that you think about the next day and the next. When Joseph's aging uncle, who is definitely not politically correct asks "When did everyone start sharing their pain?" you have to chuckle and then ask yourself the same question. But the answer he gets, that the worst kind of pain can't really be shared, makes you really stop and think. And when Gloria warns Joseph in her drunken stupor that you can't stand in your pain too long or you'll sink, I started writing down the words of wisdom I was hearing.

SONS OF THE PROPHET has a warning on its poster- "This show may cause various emotional responses such as laughter, enthusiasm and deep thought." I certainly experienced all of that and more. I would strongly suggest that you call 205-933-2383 or go to www.bftonline.org for ticket information. SONS OF THE PROPHET runs through April 16 so you still have time to see this super funny, meaningful play.

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