Review: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Streaming from the Ooley Theatre

When I started writing for BroadwayWorld, never did I think that I would be an audience of one. Then 2020 happened and here I am, the lone spectator, reviewing a one-act play-the first live performance I've seen in over a year. Maybe fittingly, it is a play about death. More specifically, it's about coming to terms with the feelings that arise from unresolved issues we have with those about to transition. I'm sure most of us have thought about death a great deal over the past year. Have we, though, thought about exploring our relationships in order to reach a place where we are at peace should the unthinkable happen?

Gone but Not Forgotten is the first work being performed in a series entitled Matters of Life and Death. Elise Hodge, founder of EMH Productions and The Writer's Room, is taking a different piece from local authors each month and live streaming it from the Ooley Theatre in downtown Sacramento.

Author Scott Charles has written a unique piece in Gone but Not Forgotten. It touches upon the vulnerabilities of two men and exposes the emotional complexities of the father-figure/son relationship. John (played by Eason Donner) is a frazzled, broke, and beleaguered man who is trying to juggle work and an ex-wife with the inconvenience of surprising waves of regret and guilt over the impending passing of his stepfather, Amos (Gregory Smith). All the while, in the mirror of John's mind, Amos tries to impart hard-earned wisdom that is not always well-received.

With a seasoned and socially distanced cast of two, Gone but Not Forgotten was a welcome respite from the reality of the past year. Despite its heavy content, the short length of the show and the warmth of the actors left me feeling thoughtful and reinvigorated to get back into the theatre. In the meantime, you can enjoy the stream from the comfort of your home as the skillful camera work of Jack Dever and light design by Joanna Johnson capture Donner and Smith working towards healing old wounds. As Amos says, "Work hard and don't be afraid to love."

Gone but Not Forgotten streams live on Saturday, March 27, at 7:00 p.m. Tickets and more information can be found at emhpros.weebly.com.

Photo credit: Elise Hodge