4 out of a possible 5 snouts up for The Other Place by Sharr White directed by Michael Stevenson up now at Capital Stage in Sacramento through June 2, 2019.
Since there’s barely any arts coverage in what’s left of the mainstream press in Sacramento any more, I feel obligated to review even more than usual–please share this review widely with other Sacramentans.
This is a beautifully-written, directed and acted production of a relatively disturbing play. The qualifier is necessary given that almost everything produced at Capital Stage is dark and disturbing. Actually, many of Cap Stage’s chosen works are hilariously funny, while still maintaining their darkness. Given the subject matter, this play has a lot of humor but is mostly serious in tone.
Melinda Parrett brilliantly reveals to us the complexity of her leading narrative character in this 80 minute no intermission piece. As usual, director Michael Stevenson’s choices are very solid so that we feel nothing is in the way of our intimate understanding of this unfolding tale. And it is marvelous to have Cap Stage’s founding director Jonathan Rhys Williams back in town to play the lead’s husband in his inimitable and charming way.
I would recommend this play to anyone, it’s up now at Capital Stage in Sacramento through June 2, 2019. More background on the play from the Capital Stage website:
Just as Juliana Smithton’s research leads to a potential breakthrough, her life takes a disorienting turn. During a lecture to colleagues at an exclusive beach resort, she glimpses an enigmatic young woman in a yellow bikini amidst the crowd of business suits. Piece by piece, a mystery unfolds as contradictory evidence, blurred truth and fragmented memories collide in a cottage on the windswept shores of Cape Cod, and the elusive truth about Juliana boils to the surface.
“A haunting drama…so cleverly constructed that the nature and depth of the problem isn’t revealed until the last shattering scene.” Variety
“Engrossing…tantalizingly intense, edgily suspenseful…Every element falls perfectly into place.” Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle