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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2008 > July > 25 > Entry
Futurefest opener tests, rewards patience
It’s been written that the world was made in seven days. That’s a miracle.
In the 21st century, it shouldn’t require another one to produce a play that moves along briskly rather than requiring the audience to pray for patience.
One of the perennial problems with the Dayton Playhouse’s Futurefest, which opened for the 18th year Friday, July 25, with Delora Whitney’s promising but sometimes overwrought “Adam & Evie,” is the length of the selected scripts and the often deadeningly slow pace of presentation.
Staging has been streamlined and neutralized this year to facilitate focus on the play, but writing that goes on too long, deliberate staging and methodical delivery are far more serious obstacles.
“Adam & Evie” would play much more effectively with less text and a more energetic presentation. My guess is that it’s going to have a chance to find both because Whitney’s play has plenty of potential.
It isn’t every day you encounter a first-time father of triplets holding up a very still newborn during a power outage in New York City while a devil attempts to strike a bargain he can hardly refuse.
That’s one of the best scenes in a play that’s funny, dramatic and blessed with consistently interesting mortals in Adam (Ben Norsworthy) and Evie (Annie Branning).
The Snake (David Shough) has too many repetitive and awkward scenes with God (Amy Brown), a supreme being so ridden with doubt that She lacks credibility. But he has a couple very good ones, including his dance with Evie, who’s very pregnant in her wedding gown.
Adam , who achieves several personal breakthroughs, is the heart of the play. He goes from self-absorbed sports junkie to the best, most sensitive and selfless husband ever. He’s probably too good to be possible. But under Jennifer Lockwood’s direction, Norsworthy played him with effective sardonic understatement and simple honesty.
Whitney strives too mightily to be profound, but she can easily be forgiven that sin because her writing sparkles with wit and a fresh outlook in familiar situations. “Adam & Evie” needs editing, but deserves a future.
Futurefest, which will launch six new plays, will continue with performances at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at the Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Tickets are $16. Call (937) 424-8477.
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