The Skin of Our Teeth
Written by Thornton Wilder
Directed by Sanford Robbins
Where: Thompson Theater at the Roselle Center for the Arts
(University of Delaware, Newark, DE)
When: Friday, April 20, 7:30pm
Photo by Deenie Howatt
I saw a performance of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth when I was in high school and I didn't remember thinking very fondly of it. I was hoping that my memory may have been incorrect, but that doesn't seem to have been the case as this is a play that I simply can't find myself getting drawn into despite the best efforts of the University of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players who end their season with a brilliantly staged production of a decidedly odd and off-putting work. [Then again, this play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama...but so did this, and I didn't care for it either...]
Over three acts, we watch as the Antrobus family of four witness the near end of humanity only to come together and find resolutions to the impending destruction of the world. Throughout it all, the play tries to find an appropriate balance of comedy and drama, but (and this hasn't changed since my high school days) I simply don't think it succeeds. To me, the comedy often falls flat and, seeing how this is my second viewing of this work, I can now say that I believe the fault is in the script itself and not the actors. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh here -- I don't despise the play, but I just don't find the comedic bits all that successful -- they feel too old-fashioned and don't seem to have stood the test of time.
A valiant effort is put forth by the REP cast and they are successful at mining all that they can from the script. This has been a great season for Elizabeth Heflin and her role as the Atrobus's maid Sabina, who, like me, doesn't quite "get" this play either, is most successful at garnering laughs. Kathleen Pirkl Tague is always a personal favorite of mine and here, as the rather strong-willed wife and mother of the four-member Antrobus clan, she is perhaps given some of the play's most hefty moments which, although they sometimes feel out of place, are delivered with great authority by the actress. Kudos also to Stephen Pelinski who manages to shine in both the two comedic-skewing first acts and a somewhat intense dramatic third act.
However, the true star of the show is the set design. I always am impressed by this at the REP and The Skin of Our Teeth had one of their best sets yet. When the curtain opened on Act II, I sort of shook my head in disbelief at the sheer amount of detail on a stage set up to mimic the Atlantic City boardwalk complete with loads of neon lights, taffy shops, showgirls, and more. Amazing stuff...Broadway-caliber stuff...
As a regular REP viewer and all-out admirer of the group, I found the most humorous parts of the play to be those that actually referenced previous REP productions -- like when Sabina/Elizabeth Heflin breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the audience about her roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Little Foxes. It was these "modern moments" that worked best for me in terms of comedy. The shout-out to former PTTP member Sara Griffin did not go unnoticed by this REP theatergoer.
But The Skin of Our Teeth is ultimately a play I just don't think of fondly. The REP's production is well-acted, marvelously designed, and uniquely staged (including trips out into the audience by cast members), but I can't help but feel like I'm missing something when it comes to the humor in this one.
Over three acts, we watch as the Antrobus family of four witness the near end of humanity only to come together and find resolutions to the impending destruction of the world. Throughout it all, the play tries to find an appropriate balance of comedy and drama, but (and this hasn't changed since my high school days) I simply don't think it succeeds. To me, the comedy often falls flat and, seeing how this is my second viewing of this work, I can now say that I believe the fault is in the script itself and not the actors. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh here -- I don't despise the play, but I just don't find the comedic bits all that successful -- they feel too old-fashioned and don't seem to have stood the test of time.
A valiant effort is put forth by the REP cast and they are successful at mining all that they can from the script. This has been a great season for Elizabeth Heflin and her role as the Atrobus's maid Sabina, who, like me, doesn't quite "get" this play either, is most successful at garnering laughs. Kathleen Pirkl Tague is always a personal favorite of mine and here, as the rather strong-willed wife and mother of the four-member Antrobus clan, she is perhaps given some of the play's most hefty moments which, although they sometimes feel out of place, are delivered with great authority by the actress. Kudos also to Stephen Pelinski who manages to shine in both the two comedic-skewing first acts and a somewhat intense dramatic third act.
However, the true star of the show is the set design. I always am impressed by this at the REP and The Skin of Our Teeth had one of their best sets yet. When the curtain opened on Act II, I sort of shook my head in disbelief at the sheer amount of detail on a stage set up to mimic the Atlantic City boardwalk complete with loads of neon lights, taffy shops, showgirls, and more. Amazing stuff...Broadway-caliber stuff...
As a regular REP viewer and all-out admirer of the group, I found the most humorous parts of the play to be those that actually referenced previous REP productions -- like when Sabina/Elizabeth Heflin breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the audience about her roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Little Foxes. It was these "modern moments" that worked best for me in terms of comedy. The shout-out to former PTTP member Sara Griffin did not go unnoticed by this REP theatergoer.
But The Skin of Our Teeth is ultimately a play I just don't think of fondly. The REP's production is well-acted, marvelously designed, and uniquely staged (including trips out into the audience by cast members), but I can't help but feel like I'm missing something when it comes to the humor in this one.
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