UCT Takes a Bite out of Wilder
Review by: Jonathan Hendrickson
Union
College Theatre's production of Thorton Wilder's The
Skin of Our Teeth, is at once a play of the mind and heart.
The story takes place throughout the ages, following
Mr and Mrs. Antrobus, their children, and the eternal "other woman",
as they face disasters, rise up victorious, and begin again, all by
the slimmest of margins. Even the very production itself is written
to succeed only by the "skin of its teeth".
However, it is by a far larger margin that Dr. Rebecca
Pettys and company succeeds in their performance of this most challenging
play. Dr. Pettys has designed a production that from the beginning seems
to teeter on the edge of reality, a feat that certainly does justice
to the fragile fabric on which Wilder wrote this most odd comedy. From
a set that is at once both simple and marvelous, to the inclusion of
a wonderfully wrought slide show that displays man's penchant for the
disastrous acts of war and cruelty, the whole production presents a
colorful yet bleak background for exploring the human condition.
And
who better to explore that condition than humans themselves (along with
a couple of prehistoric animals!). The cast is large and talented throughout,
with not a truly flat performance among them. From the beaming and hilariously
funny Telegraph Boy, (played this evening by Tommy Ruth) to the adorable
yet surreal dinosaur played by Stephen O' Donoghue the supporting cast
is unified and committed to displaying the faults, failures, and victories
of the Antrobus family.
And what a family that is! A father, a mother, a daughter,
and a son, a seemingly perfect nuclear family, but to call this family
perfect would be a grave mistake. For this family is symbolic of all
mankind, each one a performance of the faults and virtues of man. Henry,
played by Chris Garland, is easily identified as the cold, cruel nature
of sinful man. This is in part due to the exuberant performance of Garland.
His energy commands him, and his almost manic manner suggests right
away that we are not looking at your average boy. Elle Williams likewise
leaves no room for guesswork as Gladys, the embodiment of virtue, innocence,
and the coming of age of mankind. 
Elle's
onstage transformation from giggling "school girl" to mature
woman is subtle and controlled. And her third act performance is not
vocally dramatic, but it is beautifully silent and true. Elisha Comer
returns to the stage in her final UCT student performance as Mrs. Antrobus,
and as the eternal mother she blossoms. From the first moments of the
play, it is clear that this is a woman who has been tried and tested
as a mother and has come out victorious but wounded. Elisha, in what
is her most challenging role to date, leaves no doubt in the audience's
mind that she would indeed "lay everyone out dead" when it
comes to her children, and her relationship with Mr. Antrobus, played
by Dr. Dan Covington, is clearly acted out as strained but determined.
It is Covington's character that is the focus of the show, and once
again he shines with comfort and controlled emotion as the perfect "everyman".
Dr. Covington, with true grit and honest interpretation gives a voice
of realism and understanding to Mr. Antrobus and his family. Here is
a man torn by his need to survive and begin again and his desire to
throw his hands up in defeat, and Covington shows us with openness of
heart that this is our story.
But
the Antrobus family has one other member, and it is this member that
deserves highest accolades. Angie Armstrong plays Sabina, the eternal
"other woman", and at once wins the audience's heart. Our
morals and our virtue tell us that this is a character that we should
not cheer for. She is a temptress, she is self-centered, and she has
intentions on stealing this man away from not only his wife but his
children as well. Yet we love her, and it is all due to Angie's heart-warming
performance. Her personality shines like a beacon, and at once you want
her friendship. She's witty and she drips with positive energy. In the
hands of another less talented actress Sabina would not win our laughs,
our smiles, our applause, but in Angie's hands the audience cannot and
will not help itself.
So, if you are in the mood for a cerebral trip
that will touch your heart, make your way down to Union College Theatre
this weekend. Performances are November 4th and 5th and curtain is at
8pm. For more details and ticket pricing call 546-1312.
