CRIMES OF THE HEART
features much humor, fantastic acting
by Frank Belsky
for
The
TIMES
Saturday,
February 1, 2003
Challenged by choice, the Pawtucket Community Players again rise to the
level of a theatrical masterpiece. The
relatively short but popular run of “Crimes of the Heart” at Jenks Junior High School Auditorium ends Sunday.
With
typical enthusiasm, competent acting and the charismatic lead of Valerie
Remillard, the Players do justice to Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize winning
script.
But
justice, according to Henley, is inherently flawed.
The law overlooks catastrophic emotional assaults.
“Crimes of the Heart” focuses on these.
Set
in a rural Mississippi town in 1974, the focus is on character development. So scenery is never more than a kitchen in the McGrath family
homestead.
There,
sisters, Lenny (Jannette Gregorian,) Meg, (Kathleen Bebeau-Katic) and Babe
Botrelle (Valerie Remillard) examine their lives.
Lenny
stays home, caring for a Grandfather who cared for her and her sisters after
mother hanged herself and the cat. But
Lenny’s act of selfishness goes unrewarded.
She’ll never be married, her imposing Grandfather convinced her, and
certainly not after an operation left her barren.
We
immediately take to Gregorian’s quiet but strong adaptation to her
character’s loneliness. (Lenny
holds a birthday party, complete with cake and candle and herself as the lone
guest.)
While
Gregorian is pathetic, she’s tough to permit us to laugh at her quirks. She’s likeable and captures her character with correct mix
of sadness and humor.
Meg
is the bad girl, who in attempt to escape her sleepy and unseemly beginnings,
heads for Hollywood to find herself as performer and actress.
The escape attempt takes her nowhere but back to herself and Hazelhurst.
Bebeau-Katic
brings every bit of her multi-dimensional character to on stage. Her cynical, bad girl aura is ever present and perfectly
projected. Unlike Lenny, Meg is
unlikable in every way. Credit
Bebeau-Katic with an ability to draw us in and push us away.
Babe
Botrelle is the central character. Valerie
Remillard delights us with what first seems like innocence.
As her character unravels her innocence becomes less and less convincing.
The
attractive, refreshing and meticulous young actress executes perfect control. She
projects and articulates, professionally. Together
with mastery of movement, consistent release of energy, and compelling delivery,
her preparation, appears to be intensely focused.
Chick
Boyle is a cousin of the McGrath sisters who embodies the worst family traits.
She’s the obnoxious cousin who gossips and pierces the veneer of anyone
nearby.
Karen
Kessler’s comic interaction with Janette Gregorian’s Lenny, are some of
funniest moments in this often-comical script.
Barnette
Lloyd, played Brian Lemieux is Babe’s lawyer, fighting to save her honor and,
at the same time, to carry out personal vendetta against her husband, Zach. Lemieux is a local math teacher.
If he moved to Mississippi, he could, no doubt, practice law.
Finally,
Doc Porter is a major victim of Meg McGrath’s monumental inconsideration.
Jim Ladouceur evokes our sympathy and likewise nails his part.
Vincent Lupino directs it.
THE
COMMUNITY PLAYERS
Crimes of The Heart
Jenks Junior HS
Auditorium
Pawtucket, RI
(401) 726-6860
Performances
are: Saturday night, February 1 at 8 pm
Sunday afternoon, February 2nd at 2
pm.
Call for reservations at 726-6860