OPUS at The Seattle Rep

The Seattle Rep is presenting Michael Hollinger's wonderful new play "Opus" about the behind the scenes drama of a string quartet, and while the ensemble never actually plays a note, they make beautiful music together.  

The play surrounds the inner workings of the fictional Lazara String Quartet.  They have the biggest gig of their lives coming up and they have been forced to let their violist, Dorian, go because he keeps going a little "buggy".  So enter Grace who is thrilled to have this chance to play with a world renowned group but finds out that there's more to this group than just playing Beethoven.  Secrets are revealed and the events leading up to the ousting of one of their own are trickled out bit by bit through flashbacks and interviews for a documentary on the group.  And all of this is done with humor, scathing dialog and a lot of heart.

The ensemble presents the dialog as if they were playing in a quartet together.  They manage to weave in and out of the script so stunningly and with such ease that you would think they were playing music.  All of the characters are slightly flawed (like all of us) but there really is no clear antagonist in the bunch.  They are all so likable that you often wonder who you should be rooting for.  And in the end you wind up rooting for them all.  Todd Jefferson Moore (Intiman's "Crime and Punishment') plays the "buggy" and sometimes under medicated Dorian.  Moore is turning into one of my favorite Seattle actors.  He is always a joy to watch as he always puts so many layers into his characters and with such focus.  Allen Fitzpatrick plays the high strung (pun intended) Elliot with such conviction that he is at the same time hilarious and heartbreaking.  Rounding out the original quartet are the equally fantastic Charles Leggett as the rock solid Carl who has his own demons to deal with and Shawn Belyea as the self deprecating, wise cracking Alan who is desperately trying to keep this group going.  And then there's the newcomer Grace, played by Chelsey Rives, who manages to hold her own even as she is stepping into the middle of this hornets nest.  All five actors play their roles with such zeal, not only for the play but in their characters for the music that you completely feel their passion for the music they are "playing" and empathize with their plight.

The show is directed by Rep favorite Braden Abraham with his usual brilliance.  He makes the story flow so effortlessly that you forget you're watching a play and instead feel like a fly on the wall.  But the stand out for this show has to be Hollinger's script.  He has concocted the most loveable group of social misfits in this deceptively simple yet powerful piece.  One minute he has you laughing, the next crying and then laughing again as you're still wiping the tears away.  A truly magnificent opus for a fresh playwright.  At the top of the show, Producing Artistic Director Jerry Manning and Managing Director Benjamin Moore introduced the piece and commented on how when choosing the season they kept coming back to this play and I can see why.  It is a superb little gem of a play that deserves to be seen and savored and I recommend you do yourself a favor and do just that.  Oh and on a side note, Moore and Manning also mentioned they were courting a new piece from Hollinger of "Cyrano".  This reviewer hopes they pursue that and can't wait to see it at the Rep soon.

"Opus" plays at the Seattle Repertory Theatre through December 6^th.  For tickets or information contact the Rep box office at 206-443-2222 or visit them online at www.seattlerep.org.

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