GOING TO ST. IVES

As I was going to St. Ives, I had a show with several lives.  That may be the refrain that Director Greg Smith might pronounce at the end of the run of the play Going to St. Ives by Lee Blessing currently at the Dayton Theatre Guild.

Live theatre is often about surprises.  Sometimes the surprises are those one can do without and others are those one can never envision, onstage and off.  The production of Going to St. Ives, currently at the Dayton Theatre Guild presents for you exactly what playwright Lee Blessing intended, a story with many levels of surprise.

A renowned British eye surgeon living safely in the village of St. Ives and the mother of a merciless African dictator come together with requests of each other that not only provide a bit of surprise but a basis for both to explore their own truths and life dilemmas.

Cast in this production are Katrina Kittle and Catherine Collins, both experienced actors.  Directed by Greg Smith, also a veteran of the theatre, this cast and production have also seen their share of surprises.  Moments before this production opened, Catherine Collins became seriously ill and was unable to continue.  A surprise one can do without.  Moments before the open, Director Smith found himself convincing a gifted actress, Marianna Harris, to step into the role of May N’Kame with no time for rehearsal.  She would have to go onstage with a script in hand.  A surprise neither could have envisioned.

Then the biggest surprise of all came for the audience.  It worked.  It made no difference.  These two talented actors did not let a script-in-hand or their worry about a colleague’s health or anything else get in the way of the story.  They connected and they made a little magic on the stage at the Guild.

The actress Marianna Harris incorporated this book in her hand as a prop and it became part of the story.  The character May N’Kame may well have been looking at her notes that she wanted to remember as she spoke to her doctor.  She didn’t miss a beat.  Her performance was not about the prop, it was about the life and conflict of May N’Kame.  And it was May who we came to know.

Katrina Kittle is a successful and talented novelist and her notoriety might bring some into the theatre to see her.  They will be disappointed.  She’s not there.  She brings Dr. Cora Gage to life in a sensitive way that compels you to pay attention to her story.  Her work is about the play.  She rolls with the challenges of the cast change and for the audience it is seamless.

What is fascinating about this event in the theatre is that in spite of the fact there are these other ‘reality’ stories behind the scenes, both of these talented actresses are able to take us past any other reality and straight to the story of Going to St. Ives, straight to the engaging story that Lee Blessing wrote.  And we are engaged and we are moved.

Live theatre is a collaborative storytelling effort.  Go to this theatre and take advantage of this collaboration.  After the playwright has finished penning the last line and the Director has given the last note, the actors are the final link in the collaboration.  This link is strong.  You have until April 1, 2012.   Spread the word and do yourself a favor.  Go to St. Ives.   Watch the magic.