Phillips’ Mill Theater offers this play by Chris Shaw Swanson, a resident of the Buckeye State.
By: Stuart Duncan
The Heroines of Central Ohio may be an awkward title for a play, but it turns out to be reasonably accurate. The heroines are six romance-novel writers, all female, who meet monthly to exchange advice, both good and bad, in a library conference room in, guess what, central Ohio.
At this particular meeting the agenda is limited to a single, serious issue: A seventh member, Evie, has absconded with the assets of the club some $8,000 plus. The question to be decided is whether or not to turn her over to the authorities or to deal with it in some private manner.
The work, by Ohio playwright Chris Shaw Swanson, is being staged at Phillips’ Mill Theater in Solebury, Pa. Director John Rasiej had previously staged the play five years ago in New York City.
It is by no means a simple piece. Playwright Swanson shrouds the focus with scenes that supposedly elucidate each member’s relationship with Evie, accomplished in a series of acted-out peeks of the various turgid novels by our writers. In a rather surreal fashion, the other writers sit frozen at the table. The sole male in the work, "the Player," becomes the acting partner for each lady in turn. He apparently is ageless, as there is some talk of him being alive centuries past. Also Evie herself is on stage for much of the evening, apparently unseen most of the time, but most certainly a participant.
So you see, not only do you have a play, but scenes from the past within that play essentially an enigma wrapped inside a riddle. It is too much really to expect an audience to unravel, even a hard-working one. A hard-working cast tries to point out the salient points, and director Rasiej brings in music to underscore the surrealism when needed. (Perhaps lighting would have been more effective.) But there are still entire segments in which a couple of the actors are demanding attention, while the rest are sitting silently, unhearing in the background.
It is obvious that playwright Swanson has not made up her mind as to whether the evening should be dramatic or funny. She clearly has written both, and with considerable skill. Still, it becomes a puzzlement to an audience as to where to turn. By the end of the evening, the on-stage characters must vote their consciences, and two of the six abstain. Most unsatisfactory.
The cast works intelligently to avoid stereotypes. Luisa Di Capua is most impressive as Evie’s best friend and the one who knows her best. She has a late-second-act speech that really pulls at the heartstrings, and which makes her subsequent abstention unacceptable. Others who impress are Kitt Nielsen, Janet Gray and, in a very brief cameo, Patty Wallace. Linda Russo, as Evie, hangs on to an unexplained Southern accent for the entire evening. Kate Couzens plays a blind lesbian, with great style. Darryl Schaffer probably has the most fun as the Player, switching moods, voices and character with every turn of the page.
The playwright flew in from Ohio for the Saturday-night show and stayed around after the production to meet the company and answer questions.
The Heroines of Central Ohio continues at Phillips’ Mill Theater, 2619 River Road, Solebury, Pa., through March 6. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m. Tickets cost $12, $10 seniors and students. For information, call (215) 862-0582 or (609) 397-2441.