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Regional Reviews: San Francisco/North Bay Ondine Also see Richard's recent reviews of The Unfortunates, Sam and Dede, or My Dinner with Andre the Giant and Dogeaters and Patrick's reviews of Kismet and Aubergine
Katharine Sherman has written a 74-minute drama about this nymph in short, rhythmic bursts. The tale is hard to follow since the playwright uses resonance, verse, and strange sentence structures. Besides the two central characters, Ondine and her lover Hildebrand, there are characters playing Rain, Mist, and Ice who appear intermittently to advise Ondine. Jessica Waldman as Ondine and Kenny Toll as Hildebrand give outstanding performances; they have great chemistry together. Jessica Waldman displays contagious inquisitiveness and excitement while Kenny Toll underplays the role of the alchemist-knight with an internal conflict between love and science. His performance feels very real. Molly Benson, Marilet Martinez, and Danielle O'Hara support these two lovers as Rain, Mist, and Ice. They skillfully recite poetry alone and together. Michael Locher's playful set is extraordinary. The intimate theatre is arranged with the audience on two sides of the huge, blue-wave stage, seated very close to the actors. There are trap doors for the actors to pop or materialize through. Jessica and Kenny occasionally slide down from the crests to the base of the set and sometimes drop their feet through a trap door into an unseen pool below. Rob Melrose's direction is perfect for the Cutting Ball's intimate theater. Cutting Ball Theater's Ondine runs through March 6th, 2016, at the EXIT on Taylor, 277 Taylor Street, San Francisco. For tickets call 415-525-1205 or on line at www.cuttingball.com. Coming up next is Risk Is This ...: The Cutting Ball New Experimental Plays Festival starting on March 11 and running through March 26th. |
