The Halloween season is upon us and the folks at Kavinoky Theatre have capitalized on the eerie and sometimes gruesome story that is Stephen King's MISERY. Thanks to the blockbuster 1990 movie adaptation featuring the fascinatingly devious Kathy Bates, the story has some name recognition. Bates went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress , allowing no one to ever be comfortable with the thought of a sledge hammer by a bedside. High marks across the board can be given to all involved in this creepy tale that opened on Friday night.
King has the perfect knack of sucking his readers into his often unhinged imagination, just as looking away from a bloody crime scene often is simply impossible. From the confines of a car in CUJO, to the vast Overlook Inn in THE SHINING and now, the depressing Colorado mountain home of Annie Wilkes, King convincingly sets the mood for his twisted tales of terror. Wilkes is a single and dowdy overweight nurse who lives for the next book from her beloved author Paul Sheldon. He always completes his final book at an inn in her hometown. An unfortunate car accident leaves him near death, but Annie single handedly rescues him and nurses him in her own home.
Annie is his "number one fan," as she states repeatedly. But Paul, while at first appreciative, is perplexed at why he is in a stranger's home and not a hospital. It soon becomes apparent that Annie is a mentally unstable stalker who will do anything to keep her beloved author in her home. She is distraught that Paul is abandoning his most famous book character, Misery Chastain, and is trying his hand at writing a different genre. Annie is appalled by the new book's vulgarity and insists he destroy the new manuscript and write another Misery book in her home. He is now a lame prisoner in a lunatic fan's home, with no ability for communication to the outside world.
Executive Artistic Director of Kavinoky Theatre Lorraine O' Donnell has the juicy role of Annie. Every iota of this story hinges on her mental instabilities, which leaves the actress a legion of emotional options. O'Donnell is at first likable and corny as she fawns over the bed ridden author, but her glee can turn on a dime to become accusatory and domineering. O'Donnell does her best work as the awe struck fan who falls in love with her patient, but who later flips to become a stark raving crazy torturer The role demands a combination of silliness, drama and downright wickedness, and not until late in the second act do we get the notion that Annie has truly gone mad. The final tableau gives O'Donnell one last image that sums up her often haunting performance.
Adriano Gatto gives a marvelously riveting performance as Paul. Confined to a bed or wheelchair for much of the play, Gatto unearths a myriad of emotions as he battles physical pain, as well as mental abuse by his captor. The amount of torture he must endure becomes unfathomable as Annie dominates his recovery and manipulates his mind. Gatto's pain is palpable as the audience shudders alongside him as he struggles to outwit a master manipulator. By the time the two have a physical battle, the audience roots for him, having little sympathy for the demented Annie.
Newcomer Steven Brachmann is the only other character in this creepy tale. He was convincing as the goofy town policeman who shows up a few times to try and gather some facts about the mysterious disappearance of the famous author.
Author William Goldman is responsible for writing this stage adaptation. It plays out as a progression of short scenes or vignettes with musical interludes. The first act is bit long in it's exposition and seemed like the interludes lengthened what could have been a faster paced story. Once the character's plights have been delineated, a brisker Act I climax would have been appreciated. Luckily the second act contains much more dramatic tension and played out with some nail biting intensity
The fantastic set by David King was placed upon a large turntable, which effortlessly allowed movement throughout Annie's house. The gentle spin along with some great lighting effects by Brian Cavanagh gave a cinematic flow to the drama that will certainly move at a quicker pace as the production settles in. Cavanagh also directed the play with a good attention to detail, making the audience appropriately uncomfortable with the utter torture that played out on the stage. The few moments of levity were appreciated in this psychologically macabre saga.
MISERY plays at the Kavinoky Theatre on the campus of D'Youville University through November 20, 2022. Contact kavinokytheatre.com for more information
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