ALMOST, MAINE - ALMOST PERFECT

ALMOST, MAINE
By John Cariani
Directed by Dwayne Hartford
Phoenix Theatre
Phoenix, AZ
602-254-2151
January 9 - 27, 2008

   How pleasant it is to be able to write a review of a thoroughly enjoyable, well done theatrical experience! I know that many people probably believe that critics get a kick out of finding fault with shows they have seen and perhaps some do. But not this reviewer! It is much easier and more fun to see a show, love it in every aspect and write nothing but praise for the actors, technicians, directors and playwright. And fortunately, I can do just that with ALMOST, MAINE.

Phoenix Theatre and Dwayne Hartford have a real winner in this one. With its unassuming title (if you forget the comma, you have a totally different expectation), its energetic, tremendously capable actors, perfectly beautiful set, lighting and other technical elements, as well as a wonderful whimsical script - it is the epitome of good theater. This delightful play is actually a series of vignettes, all of which take place in the mythical town of Almost, Maine against a backdrop of snow covered rock, so typical of that rugged state. And the six actors involved create 19 different linked characters ( all of whom live in this town) so well that it was a good thing the director had them take their curtain calls in such a way that we remembered who had played whom together. Each has their own utterly creative love story to tell and each is completely unique and different.

From the first short Prologue in which we meet two young lovers on a bench who sadly part and whom we follow through to the final Epilogue where they meet again after a 360 degree journey (literally), there is humor, pathos, anger, grief and love in every possible form brilliantly displayed by the cast. They include Andres Alcala, Colette D'Antona. Dion Johnson, Sarah Roberts, Kyle Everett and Sarah Walters, none of whom can be singled out for any particular characterization because they were all equally spectacular in every difficult role they had to do. This is by far the finest ensemble performance which I have seen in a very long time. And since all of the eleven scenes take place in the frigid Maine surroundings, you might think that the costuming would be rather drab and boring, but that is not the case at all. Designer Gail Wolfenden-Steib worked creative miracles by producing the most vivid, different versions of coats, leggings, boots, mittens and hats that one could imagine. Actors in each scene were imaginatively clad, even in their pajamas! The magnificent moonlit, snowy set captured your eye as soon as you entered the theater and the use of additional subtly suggestive stage pieces (a lamp here, a table there) helped us to move from outdoor scene to indoor scene with great ease. Every technical aspect was superb from Aaron Johnson's set design to Stuart Bailey's lighting to Katie McNamara's props.

But perhaps the best feature of the production was the direction and acting. Stage movement was magnificent, and the staccato, stylized format developed by Dwayne Hartford was brilliant and so well uniformly executed by his six actors that I was totally amazed. Pratfalls were fabulous in the first scene of the second act, manipulation of the very raked set was unbelievable - I could not believe how deftly the actors moved around on it. The aura of Maine was so definite and obvious, I almost believed I was actually in this little town. Timing was perfect, body language was wonderful - there are just not enough adjectives for me to express my joy at watching this terrific show. I know I will not see anything like this again for a long while.

The first act scenes were basically humorous, all with the proverbial happy ending of boy gets girl. Everything was sweet, light and comical and left you with a delightful joy in your heart. The second act, on the other hand, presented more tragically oriented scenarios - two male friends suddenly confronted with the fact that maybe their feelings for each other were not just as friends; a married couple searching for but not finding the lost spark in their relationship; a forlorn woman facing the fact that she had made a mistake in leaving her first love so many years ago, who comes back to find him married to someone else. As an audience member, you were definitely not prepared for such a 180 degree turn in the focus of the play. And the author, sensing this I believe, wisely reverted in the two last scenes to comic elements thus leaving his viewers with a 'feel good' ending. In my mind, however, the playwright was equally magnificent in his writing of all the various scenes, no matter what their focus. He has an amazing understanding of the human heart with all its faults, foibles and strengths.

I cannot praise ALMOST, MAINE enough. I urge you to get to see it this next weekend before it is over. I had never heard of the play before even though it did appear Off Broadway; I hope that this is not the last we will hear from John Cariani or from the amazing cast and Director who produced this show. Right on, Phoenix Theatre!