Review: 4th Wall Theatre Pulls at Heartstrings in Sanctuary City.

Immigration. The word that has been much on the lips of everyone in the last years. On both sides of the political aisle, this topic has created laws that have impacted many. An expert production at 4th Wall reveals the real-world ramifications of this legislation in Martyna Majok's Sanctuary City.

At the apex of the 21st century, the United States' open door policy would quickly close due to the attacks on September 11th, 2001. This event catalyzes much of the conflict in Majok's Sanctuary City. The audience meets B and G, two teenagers in the throngs of high school drama and problems. G's mom is dating a terrible man, and B's mother is contemplating returning to their ancestral home. B is a gifted student, while G could make better choices. Finally, the tides turn for G as she is granted citizenship through a loophole in citizenry law. However, B has different luck. In the first half, the two grow up and rely on one another for the emotional support that is so sorely needed. These scenes play out quickly as Majok's play travels back and forth between B and G's issues. Finally, the play turns to a straightforward narrative when G goes to school outside their hometown, only to return to find B in a relationship with Henry. The problem, B and G made a pact that they would marry for B to become a legal citizen. Their close friendship is questioned as she backs out of marrying B. G and Henry argue about B's chances of becoming a citizen.

While one could give away more of the plot of this masterpiece of a play, I highly encourage Houston theater-goers to witness this masterpiece due to masterful playwriting and the performances of some of Houston's greatest young actors. The remarkable Luis Quintero plays B. His youthful spirit is shown as he ages from teenager to young adult. Quintero pulls at heartstrings as the loveable best friend, and it becomes easy to root for him. The always phenomenal Raven Justine Troup portrays G. Troup, as always, is doing a fantastic job at achieving perfection in her roles, and her talent is on full display in this production. The complicated nature of G is almost impossible to pull off, but Troup does so wonderfully. I felt her heartbreak at every disappointment and her happiness at the triumphs her character feels. This play is exquisite and is perfectly cast with these two at the helm. Finally, Christian Tannous as the neurotic Henry is a fascinating addition to this production. While Tannous is a young actor, it is easy to see that his performance matches that of Troup and Quintero. I hope to see more of Tannous in the future.

Design elements of the production are in top form at 4th Wall. Set by Jodi Bobrovsky, while bare, lends itself to a creative force. Daniel Jones lighting helps audiences find their imaginations strumming with Bobrovsky's set. The ultimate of design elements for this production are the simple but effective costumes by Macy Lyne. While the play is set in the early 2000s, Lyne clearly understood the assignment. While pop culture has forgotten the mixing of the grunge era with the turn-of-the-century belly shirts, Lyne's always magnificent design work is visible.

Audience members should flock to 4th Wall Theatre this Spring to see this amazing production. While the topic is political, the performances alone are well worth the price of admission. This show's success is indicative of the tagline of 4th Wall, which is "Extraordinary performances. Up close."

Sanctuary City runs until Saturday, April 15th. The production runs 90 minutes. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night performances begin at 7:30 P.M. Sunday matinees begin at 3:00 P.M. A special Pay-What-You-Will Monday night performance will happen on Monday, April 10th. Tickets can be bought at their website.

 

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