ST. MARK STUDENTS CAPTIVATING IN DEATH: A COMEDY IN ONE ACT
If death is among the greatest adventures of all, then one’s journey there must be equally tremendous. The eerie tale of an unsuspecting man’s fate came to life at St. Mark High School as their players performed Death: A Comedy in One Act by Woody Allen.
Through captivating scenes and enthralling suspense, this production put a whole new spin on dark comedy.
Written and published by Woody Allen in 1975, and later adapted into the film Shadows and Fog, the play opens when yet another victim is added to a series of recent murders in a small town. The residents rally a group of blundering vigilantes and force the perpetually anxious Kleinman to search for the murderer.
Tossed from one clueless watch-member to the next, Kleinman spends the night blindly falling into the hands of the psychopathic Maniac. Will Kleinman make it to morning, or will the night claim him?
Either way, the adventure itself is half the fun!
In an atmosphere of panic and mayhem, Henry Freeth effectively played the role of Kleinman with great enthusiasm and characteristic anxiety.
His sensitivity and neurotic mannerisms — like fiddling with a Rubik’s Cube in the middle of a stressful scene — were fully formed and greatly aided his portrayal of a high-functioning basket case as he led the show.
Psychopathy itself was embodied by Nathan Boyer, playing the Maniac who revels in killing for pleasure. Elements such as an evil laugh lasting nearly two minutes, lurking in the back of the audience, and eagerly admitting to his crimes created hilarious macabre ambience throughout the production.
The entire cast was collectively engaging with frequent walks and outbursts in the audience area. This provided intriguing visual levels and made for a more personal viewing experience.
Very memorable was the ensemble of vigilantes with their unified affirmations and swift conclusions; truly exemplifying mob-mentality in the most comical of fashions.
Using a minimalist set, each transition was smoothly carried out by the stage crew, seamlessly maintaining the laughably sinister mood of the show. The makeup by Ms. Rino’s class was simplistic and suited the purposes of the play and its characters.
Also well done were the appropriately timed lighting cues operated by Matthew MacNeil. Each of the actors did a wonderful job of clearly projecting their voices throughout the entire play without the aid of microphones. With their unfaltering pronunciation and appropriate inflection, it was very rare that any words were anything but sufficiently audible. Through its dark atmosphere, gripping comedy, and committed acting, St. Mark High School’s production of Death proved that if the hereafter is anything like the here-and-now, there is certainly a lot to keep busy with (or at least laugh at).
Next review: All Saints High School’s production of Urinetown: The Musical.