BWW Reviews: ABSOLUTELY {PERHAPS} Madcap Mad Men Look at Truth and Perception

In a visually stunning production, Constellation Theatre Company's Absolutely! {perhaps} explores questions of privacy, reality and truth. Under the direction of Allison Arkell Stockman, the finely-tuned ensemble takes a comedic look at the enduring themes.

Gossip and insinuation run rampant in a small town when the new government official, his wife and his mother-in-law move to town and upset the cultural norms. Why would Signor Ponza stay away from the townsfolk, keep his wife concealed in their fifth-story apartment, yet pay daily visits to his mother-in-law in a separate household without allowing her to visit his wife? Rumors and plausible-but-not-provable explanations fuel the fires of scandalous speculation.

Set gloriously in the mid-century, the audience wraps around the Agazzi family's sleek living room just inches from the action. The production elements are a delight. The details - from haberdashery, to hankies, to the hi-fi - are great fun. Kendra Rai's costumes in rich tones and elegant construction are a wonder, and show us a group very concerned with appearances. A.J. Guban's scenic and lighting design transport us to the cool elegance of the Rat Pack-era world. With Palmer Hefferan's sound design, it reunites the production team of last year's acclaimed 36 Views.

"What can we know about anybody else ... really know?" asks character Lamberto Laudisi. But the town is determined to discover a definitive truth.

Ashley Ivey as Lamberto Laudisi propels the play forward with great fun and flair. Refusing to join the gossiping rabble in the quest for the "truth" about the new neighbors, he serves as the devil's advocate questioning, redirecting and stirring up a bit of trouble just for the fun of it.

Kimberly Schraf as mother-in-law Signora Frola acts with insistence and depth. Eyes are drawn to her quiet energy when she is on stage. She is real and believable. However, this poses a dilemma because as the audience weighs the truth of her tale versus Signor Ponza (Michael Glenn) we are swayed by her personal authority. Michael Glenn doesn't have the same wonderful authenticity on stage. Although the text dictates Ponza's frequent agitation, he doesn't have the have the layers Schraf displays so the two versions of the truth are not as evenly matched.

The Agazzi family (an aggrieved Toby Mulford, cool and confident Sarah Pretz and maturing daughter Julia Klavans), their friends the Sirellis (Catherine Deadman and Matt Dewberry) and new acquaintance Signora Cini (Teresa Spencer) with their affected manners, untamed speculation and meddling and serve at times as a Greek chorus. The group's sighs and synchronous movements provide great moments of light humor. Connor J. Hogan (as the befuddled butler), Tyler Herman (as the determined Inspector), Julie Garner (who brings gravity and decisiveness as the Mayor) and Lizzi Albert (as Signora Ponza) round out the able ensemble. But just as the townsfolk get befuddled by the twists and turns, the audience can find it difficult to keep the stories straight. Although it's clear from the very title of the play that there will be ambiguity, key moments get lost in the rapid pacing of the production. As the lights came down on the production, I overheard from a seat nearby a whispered, "So what just happened?"

Yet the questions posed by Nobel Award-winning playwright Luigi Pirandello nearly a century ago still ring true today. Production director - and Constellation Theatre Company's Founding Artistic Director - Allison Arkell Stockman points out that today's technological advances puts question of whether individuals or employers should be able to meddle in the life choices of consensual adults front and center in today's exploration of the right of privacy. Absolutely! {perhaps}, this probing of differing perceptions of the truth is sometimes translated "Right You Are! (if you think so)." Constellation Theatre Company is presenting a new adaptation by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martin Sherman (Bent) which premiered in London in 2003 in an Olivier-nominated production directed by Franco Zeffirelli. The work by Pirandello (an author perhaps best known for Six Characters in Search of an Author), foreshadowed more absurdist theatrical work to come, influencing playwrights such as Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter and Eugene Ionesco.

Constellation Theatre Company's mission is to spark curiosity. It seeks to unite visual spectacle, music and movement with an exuberant acting ensemble to create an exhilarating entertainment experience - and with Absolutely! {perhaps} it deftly achieves its goals.

Runtime: two hours with one intermission

Absolutely! {perhaps} runs through November 9 with shows on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm, with additional show on Monday, October 27 at 8 pm. The production is at the Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. For tickets, please visit Constellation Theatre's website here.

Photos courtesy of Stan Barouh.

To post a comment, you must register and login.