BWW Reviews: VINCENT RIVER at Ground Up & Rising

From the theatre to the set, the four lights, the sound, the script and some of the acting, Ground Up & Rising has brought English writer Philip Ridley's grim piece to South Miami's Artistic Vibes performance space in a show that offers little but the terrific performance by Bobby Johnston. And that is enough to say: don't miss this final piece of GU & R's summer season.

A ninety minute two hander set in a sleazy flat in East London, VINCENT RIVER has Beverly Blanchette as 53 year old Anita. She a boozer, part time slag and mother of a murdered son. She's just moved in and her belongings are in cardboard boxes. She belts from a half empty bottle of gin. There's a backup under the kitchen sink. There's an old table and kitchen chairs.

She's seen a young lad hanging around her place. He's 17 and eventually she invites him in. For sex? She's lonely. He's Davey (Bobby Johnston). He found her murdered son and had his girl friend call the police. The body was in the men's lavatory at an abandoned railway station.

Davey has a badly bruised eye. Anita dabs at it with a cloth. Water in the bowl and blood on his face might have helped. I'm picking, but there it is, right at the top.

Davey wants to confess something, Anita wants to know what happened to her gay Vincent. They ask questions, they tell tales, they drink from her dead Ma's precious china and take pills. They smoke pot. The intensity ratchets and the piece peaks with a lengthy monologue brilliantly performed by Johnston. And that's the problem with VINCENT RIVER. Johnson is a natural actor; he is the character. No fuss. It's tough to be in a two person play with an actor who shines.

But, imbalance aside, this production by Ground Up & Rising and directed by Collin Carmouze is worth the visiting.

It runs through September 4 at Artistic Vibes, 12986 SW 89th Ave, Miami, then moves to the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach for runs on September 5, 6, 11, and 13. http://groundupandrising.org

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