Review: BEST LIGHT Shows Potential at the Kansas City Fringe Festival

Best Light a new play by Michelle T. Johnson is currently playing at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. Teresa Leggard directs the production, which is part of the Kansas City Fringe Festival. Jose Faus provides the art used on stage as part of the production.

What happens when a talented artist opts to not take his medications for the bipolar disorder that constantly creeps into his life and that of his girlfriend? Believing that the medications inhibit his creative talents he self-medicates in order to finish three pieces for an art show he has committed to. Unfortunately for his girlfriend, agent, and everyone else the lack of meds changes his personality and his attitude towards everything and everyone. How does his girlfriend cope with the changes?

Johnson's play is insightful into the life of a person suffering from this disorder and though it has potential falls short of tying together all the pieces. Examples are the agent who confesses to the neighbor with very little prodding that he has a desire for the girlfriend. Why would he admit this to someone who lives across the hall? How about when the girlfriend keeps going behind the couch to pour drinks, but somehow does not notice the packed bag that her boyfriend grabs when she leaves the room. Wouldn't she have asked why the bag was there? What makes the boyfriend suddenly start taking his medication? There is no real reason for him to suddenly change and discover he can paint while on the meds.

Sherry Roulette-Mosley gives the strongest performance of the cast as the neighbor Miss Howard. She projects a genuine sense of caring and concern for Maya the girlfriend. The neighbor is the only character that it was easy to relate to. Meredith Wolfe portrays Maya the girlfriend who also an artist, tries to do everything possible to make the relationship work. Wolfe does a good job with the role except that she smiles at times that it would be inappropriate. In a heated argument, or trying to make a sincere point the smile distracts from the dialogue

Davis DeRock stars as Luke, the artist suffering from the bipolar disorder. His performance is powerful but needs to be a little more animated at times. His character is not very likeable, even at the end of the play when he is trying to do what he thinks is the right thing. Ted Collins gives a good performance as Xavier the agent for Luke and then Maya. Xavier continually declares that he is Luke's friend, but does a friend go after the girlfriend. There is no real show of friendship in the name calling as he leaves the stage.

Best Light continues at the Just Off Broadway Theatre through July 25. Purchase tickets at the door and a Fringe button is needed for entrance. Photo by Richard Brauer courtesy of Kansas City Fringe Festival 2015.