BWW Reviews: IMPRESSIONISM from Tennessee Women's Theater Project

On first consideration, the ending of Impressionism seems to have come upon you rather quietly and surreptitiously, taking you by surprise. Then, as you give it more thought, it becomes pretty obvious that the ending is exactly what you expected in the play's very first moments - despite playwright Michael Jacobs' attempt to achieve something loftier and more compelling with his play.

Now onstage through March 13 at the Z. Alexander Looby Theater, in a nicely appointed production from Tennessee Women's Theater Project, Impressionism gives audiences a chance to see some fine Nashville actors in a play that is simply not up to their best efforts. Even Maryanna Clarke's focused direction and the leading performances of Holly Allen and Jeremy Childs - and a knockout supporting performance by Tamiko Robinson - are unsuccessful in making Jacobs' script more than what is: a pretentious attempt to use impressionist art to amplify the story of two characters who aren't that sympathetic and are only interesting because you have nowhere else to look.

Allen plays Katharine Kinnon, the owner of a New York City art gallery, where most of the play's action takes place (although there are scenes in other locales, including Tanzania). She's disinterested in the business of selling paintings, preferring to hang onto them unless a customer can prove his or her worthiness - that is, they have to see what she sees in the art - and then there's no guarantee she's going to sell the piece. How she pays the bills is unclear, since she doesn't sell anything and it's pretty apparent from a flashback that she's not from money.

When first we meet Katharine, it's Tuesday morning (and that means cranberry muffin day at Linder's Bakery, oh joy!) and she comes bustling into the gallery, ranting about some fat guy on the train who knocked her over in a way that only a jaded New York gallerina can rave. She is greeted by co-worker Thomas Buckle (Childs), who doesn't seem to work much either and, as we come to know, suffers from the photographer's form of writer's block, brought on by a year's sojourn in Africa.

They're like oil and water, Katharine and Thomas are, yet there's a sense of camaraderie between the two (probably because they are so insufferably boring that no one else could stand to be in the same room with them) and Jacobs lets us know that unless one or both of them commits suicide, it's pretty much determined what will happen by play's end. Like I said, it's very predictable, but because the play's action moves along at such a slow pace, by the time you get there chances are you'll find yourself vaguely elated by the turn of events.

Allen and Childs are good actors, but unfortunately they are given very little to work with in Jacobs' pedestrian script - and, alas, there is little if any chemistry between the two.

Thankfully, Tamiko Robinson comes onstage at different times, infusing her surroundings with enough energy to power a marquee if indeed there was one at the Looby Theatre. Playing three characters, including an African woman named Chiambuane, Robinson is wonderful, breathing life into Jacobs' one-dimensional characters with her innate sense of timing and purpose.

Among the supporting cast, Terry Occhiogrosso is fine as a rich New York City matron who virtually demands that Katharine sell her a Mary Cassatt "aqua tint." David Chattam seems ill-at-ease as another art collector who may or may not be involved with Katharine on a more personal basis. James Rudolph appears late in the play to acquit himself admirably as a young man in the first throes of love with his fiancee (played by Robinson). And finally, lovely young Virginia Richardson plays a younger version of Katharine, during which we learn that her mother loved her too much and her father was largely absent in her life.

- Impressionism. By Michael Jacobs. Directed by Maryanna Clarke. Presented by Tennessee Women's Theater Project. At The Z. Alexander Looby Theatre, Nashville. Through March 13. For details, visit the company website at www.twtp.org or call (615) 681-7220.

Pictured: Holly Allen and Jeremy Childs in Impressionism

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