Review: THE BIRDS at Little Theatre Of Mechanicsburg

Conor McPherson’s play The Birds premiered in 2009 as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. Based on the short story by Daphne Du Maurier (also the basis for Alfred Hitchcocks film), The Birds was first performed in the United States in 2012. An intense thriller, the stage adaptation focuses on the psychological and relational impact of an external threat, isolation, and paranoia. Just in time for spooky season, Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg stages The Birds under the direction of Nikki Baker October 2-18.

The set design (by Nikki Baker and Marley Warren) is very effective, making the audience feel as though they are in the house. The angles lend an air of claustrophobia to the set (though it would have been even more effective if the door had stayed closed better). The sound and lighting (by Collan Osif and Marley Warren) add to the tension and ominous atmosphere of each scene. Props and costumes (by Annette Ashe and Marley Warren) suit the characters and setting well.

The cast features Matthew Devore (Tierney), Megan Harbert (Julia), Jonathan DeYoung (Nat), and Catherine Tyson-Osif (Diane). Devore’s portrayal of Tierney is one of this reviewer’s favorites of the evening, giving the character a mix of mystery and aggression tempered by loneliness. Somehow in only one scene he makes Tierney feel real. His delivery of one of his final lines “what am I gonna do?” is heartbreakingly genuine and filled with a sense of loss. Harbert has great energy as Julia. Her interactions with Tyson-Osif’s Diane are well-crafted, from Harbert’s first scene where Julia is mothered by Diane to their evening huddled in fear together to their fight scene near the end of the play. DeYoung gives a convincing performance as Nat, emphasizing the character’s volatility combined with a certain awkwardness, making each scene feel a little off-kilter and unsettled. (Audiences will never see pears, poundcake, or onions the same way after seeing this performance.) Tyson-Osif’s performance as Diane is filled with wonderful subtleties. She carries the first moments of the play, engaging the audience through her movements and expressions before she ever utters a single line. As the show progresses and the audience begins to piece together the toll that the isolation and threat of the birds has had on each individual, Tyson-Osif allows little cracks to show in Diane’s façade. Her facial expressions as Diane writes her true thoughts in her notebook are masterfully crafted.

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