Review: THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN at Live Theatre Workshop

THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN, by Eric Coble, is a touching and heartfelt story about a mother and her estranged son. Playing at Live Theatre Workshop, the play tugs at the heartstrings and doesn't overstay its welcome. It runs at a tight 90 minutes and really draws the audience in with its gentle tone. Doug Finlayson weaves together moments of tension and tenderness. This is a drama with moments of comedy, and the writing is whip smart. Finlayson beautifully stages the production in the intimate Live Theatre Workshop space. The play is essentially one very long scene, but I was impressed at how fresh each moment felt, courtesy of Finlayson's varied and interesting staging choices.

Nancy Lewis plays Alexandra, the mother in this story. Her character is unraveling, both physically and mentally. Alexandra's son literally has to climb a tree to get into her house, which she has filled with Molotov cocktails. Lewis nails the distant attitude of Alexandra, while also embracing her charm, wit, and desperation. She has excellent chemistry with Michael Martinez, who plays her son Chris. The emotions on display are complex, and you can see the distrust and hesitation emanating from Lewis. When the dam finally breaks, the payoff is absolutely worth it.

Martinez is effortlessly charming as Chris. He is endlessly sincere and an absolute joy to watch. I enjoyed his monologues and his reactions to the absurdity and the tragedy of Alexandra's actions. The pair do a fascinating dance through the play's runtime. They will grow closer, then drift apart, then bond over something. Martinez's performance held my attention the entire time, and I truly felt for him and his heavy task of trying to reach his poor mother. Martinez portrayed Chris with a giddy joy but also moments of somberness and heartbreak that read really well onstage.

I think what works best about THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN is its simplicity. Whether it be the warm and vibrant set design of the house (Amanda Gremel and Stephen Frankenfield, with design by Doug Finlayson), the gorgeous Dutch elm, or the musical selections in the background highlighting Alexandra's love of opera ("Nessun Dorma" from TURNADOT), the play is straightforward and serves its relationships first. When the focus is on mother and son center stage the play is at its strongest. I appreciated the lighting design by Richard Gremel and the spot on the Dutch elm, which has been argued by many to be a mirror image of Alexandra: a strong and unapologetic tree nearing the end of its season.

THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN gave me a great deal to muse over on the car ride home. Relationships are fragile things. They are easily broken and not so easily mended. Sometimes the people we are supposed to trust are the ones who hurt us the most. It was like a breath of fresh air to see Alexandra and Chris reconnect, despite the harrowing circumstances. Sometimes we need to literally climb a tree into a barricaded house to reach the ones we love, and it is always worth it.

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