The Stagecrafters present Going to St. Ives

Theater: The Stagecrafters
Show: Going to St. Ives
Opened: April 18,2008
Seen: April 20, 2008
Submitted: April 21, 2008
Reviewer: Florence Mickens

The Stagecrafters latest production, “Going to St. Ives” is set in idyllic England and post-colonial war-weary Africa. These two worlds intersect with the meeting of Dr. Cora Gage (Pierlisa Chiodo-Steo) and May N’Kame (Donna Marie Earl). Mrs. N’Kame has travelled to England to seek the doctor’s aid for physical and metaphysical complaints. In a plot that is reminiscent of an Athol Fugard work, the play’s two-character cast introduces us to themselves, to each other and to the cultural dynamics they embody.

The first act is jammed to bursting with necessary but at times unnatural posturing between the two as playwright Lee Blessing sets the scene for us. The two leads give strong and engaging performances even where the dialogue wears a bit thin. It is to their credit that we are almost happy to live through the slightly overwrought angst and finger-pointing of the first act. We are asked to believe these two strangers are willing, if not compelled, to reveal the personal revelations required by the story. We learn that both doctor and patient have suffered immense losses and are struggling on with shattered lives. We also learn that a dark bargain may be struck between them.

In act two Cora has travelled to visit May. We find them in the garden discussing the political affairs of an unnamed African country where May’s son has ruled by fear and force for many years. As they each reveal important changes since their previous meeting in England, the two characters become more defined and more real for us. This works well in large part of due to the skillful shift of gears Chiodo-Steo and Earl manage on the fly. We are ready to believe doctor and patient have transcended that professional relationship and moved on to something more.

Chiodo-Steo and Earl bring a range of emotion and intelligence to the characters that could easily be missed by less subtle actors. Although this matinee was early in the run, each lead plays off the other’s performance as though they have been long time collaborators. I look forward to seeing them work together and separately in future productions.

The Stagecrafters has made a clever and successful choice in producing “Going to St. Ives”. It suits the theater very well. The modest but not at all claustrophobic theater is a good match for this work which is at times intimate and intense. I was pleased to be a member of the very appreciative audience.