Review: ANDORRA at The Laboratory Theater Of Florida is Intense and Impassioned

The Laboratory Theater of Florida's production of ANDORRA tells the intense story of Andri, a young Jewish man who lives in Andorra with a teacher and his wife, who rescued him from anti-Semitic people in a neighboring country.

This is quite a stellar cast. Andri is played by Steven Coe, the Teacher is played by Rob Green, Barblin is played by Danica Murray, and the rest of the cast includes a number of actors you may be familiar with from other recent productions at The Lab and various other theatres, including Cantrella Canady, TJ Albertson, and more. They were all fantastic in bringing this weighty show to The Lab's stage. Coe's performance was very raw and sometimes even hard to watch because he truly brought Andri to life. You could practically feel his frustration and anger as he was targeted for being Jewish, and then as he spiraled into a bit of a maniacal personality while other plot points were revealed near the end of the show. Green's portrayal of the Teacher and Murray's portrayal of Barblin also carried this same intensity, and I very much appreciated their commitment to their characters in this production.

ANDORRA is a heavy show. You will leave feeling a bit bothered, perhaps still grappling with the weight of what you've witnessed. However, theatre needs to do that sometimes. Theatre is meant to inspire, but it's also meant to stir something in you, whether that's joy, sadness, or, in ANDORRA's case, a feeling of disturbance and anger. Don't go into ANDORRA expecting to leave feeling satisfied and content with the ending. You won't, and you shouldn't.

ANDORRA is playing at The Laboratory Theater of Florida now through April 14; get your tickets soon! For more information and to buy tickets, check out http://www.laboratorytheaterflorida.com, or call their box office at (239) 218-0481. The Laboratory Theater of Florida is located at 1634 Woodford Ave, Fort Myers, FL, 33901.

Photo Credit: Paula Sisk