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The Martha's Vineyard Times is a weekly publication.
June 30 - July 6, 2005 Edition
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Theater June 30, 2005 There is no new Theater story this week. Painful forgiveness, finding redemption June 23, 2005 By Anna Marie D'Addarie Actor Gregory Jones as the title character in "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea." Photos by Ralph Stewart Roberta, played by Adrianne Hewlette, engages Danny in conversation even though he seems dangerous. Lighthearted moments are few and far between, but the actors transition beautifully. Who deserves to be forgiven? Certainly forgiveness comes to good people or those whose sins are small or committed accidentally. But what about a man whose nickname is “the beast” or a woman whose sin is so great she can only reveal it to him? Do they deserve forgiveness? Do they deserve any bit of happiness? Playwright John Patrick Shanley thinks so in “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea,” the first offering at the Vineyard Playhouse for the summer season. The audiences who see this production will also agree, thanks to two strong performances, sensitive direction and a tight production where forgiveness doesn’t come easy. Danny and Roberta meet in a Bronx neighborhood bar. Danny is showing signs of recent fights as well as healing scars from past scuffles. We know immediately it’s his invisible wounds we should fear. Danny confesses he may have killed someone in a fight the previous evening. He tells Roberta that being certain he could kill is worse than the actual deed. He is afraid. Roberta isn’t afraid. She is drawn to him like a moth to a flame, hoping the flame will consume her. She then reveals her secret to him — a deed so horrible, she feels she can never be forgiven for it. Not in a prideful way like Faust who believes his sin to be so great that even God can’t forgive, but Roberta’s deed leads her down into the depths of sadness where redemption cannot find her. With confession complete, it’s now time to move on to communion, which takes place in Roberta’s bedroom. The small room is in her parent’s house where she has been living with her teenage son since her divorce. Sparse and unappealing, the room is her refuge. The neighbor’s floodlight fills the room with artificial moonlight, which Roberta says is like having a full moon every night. And it is just this type of small observation that gives us hope that another life may be possible for Roberta. Danny soon realizes that Roberta can rescue him and begs her to do just that. In the artificial moonlight she agrees, but in the cold light of day she rejects him. How these two souls move toward each other through the minefield that each has created is beautiful to see. Danny is played by Gregory Jones. He brings just the right amount of nervous energy and coiled-up anger to the role. We don’t like Danny. We don’t even feel sorry for him, and yet somehow by the end of the play we are rooting for him. Mr. Shanley’s script and the production help, but when parts require this much energy it is so easy to go over the top. Mr. Jones does not. Adrianne Hewlette plays the part of Roberta, damaged goods to be sure. Ms. Hewlette gives Roberta a strength and dignity that certainly doesn’t come from her lines. Her secret, once revealed, makes her a tragic figure, but Ms. Hewlette doesn’t allow the character to wallow in self-pity. Roberta may not think she deserves forgiveness, but a spark remains and Ms. Hewlette allows the audience to see it. Jon Lipsky is the director of “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.” His characters move with purpose, opening and closing the space between them like tortured tango dancers. Their passionate speeches flow like waves over the audience, evidence of a gentle director who knows when to nudge, and when to step back. The set was all hard edges. Much like Danny and Roberta’s life, every corner of the set would leave a nice bruise if you bumped into it. From the dirty paneling in the bar to the uncomfortable-looking bed in Roberta’s room, Stephen Zablotny’s set enhances the script. Danny’s long body didn’t fit anywhere and for Roberta the space had become her personal hell. Forgiveness comes when you realize you deserve to be happy. “You got a right to something,” Danny says to Roberta. No matter what tomorrow brings for this unlikely pair, for a moment, in a room with a full moon every night, they believe in redemption.“Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” runs Tuesday through Saturday until July 2. Tickets are $35 or $30 for seniors, under age 18 and matinees are $20. Rush tickets are available ten minutes before curtain, $20 cash only. Call 508-696-6300 for more information or visit www.vineyardplayhouse.org.

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