"After The Ball Was Over" By Willasue Suskind, directed by Joseph Arnoe and presented by the American Theater Of Actors on West 54th Street Between 8th and 9th avenue in New York received a warm hearted reception from selected audiences for a one time performance.
The American Theater of Actors continues to commit to its philosophy of developing the emerging actor as a viable, contemporary performing artist. This is due to the excellent execution and management brilliance of its founder, James Jennings, who in thirty seven years has "raised" some of the best and most celebrated actors in the business.
"After the ball was over" is a one act which deals with two middle aged co-workers, who, after the ball was over, began the process of cleaning up. But in that process of cleaning up, however, the two co-workers find themselves alone (after the rest of the help, not shown in the play, leave). Gingerly, both wait staff begin to slowly let their "guard down" and begin to explore the risk of being emotionally vulnerable.
The handling of fine dinner wear and utensils carelly, so as to not break them was very metaphoric of their own emotional natures, which, also, like the dinner wear and utensil, must too, be handled with "care".
The director did an excellent job in showing this parallel, and so beautifully executed by the actors. It was very subtle, and quite (silently) dramatic.
Hostrad, a very comical waitor in his sixties, was very animating, inovative, and versatile as he tried and tried to win the attention and the emotional confidence of Edna, a clearly inhibited, repressed, and rather boring "plain jane" type. Never quite speaking and looking at you directly, and never smiling or bieng responsive to the most humane of human sentiments, Edna would quietly go about her mundane chores while Hostrad, to the point of being a pest, would do anything to "jolt" her out of her self-inflicted oppressive shell. You knew that something of a sexual nature occurred in her past which traumatized her and stunted her emotional growth and maturity-upto old age! (and that was heart breaking)
I found this play rather hard to sit through because it was so psychologically painful to see two repressed souls not living to their emotional potential, just letting life pass them by-with no risks, no sense of adventure, or even a zest for life itself! I wanted to get up and leave. But then it dawned on me, these actors a GOOD!
I "bought into" the story, and then got hurled in. Then I realized how important this one act play really was. And the important message it was delivering. This was invaluable!
No matter how old you are, there's always time and room, for romance. It is never too late. But, like everything else in life, sacrifice and risks will have to be faced. One cannot "hide" from life or try to "avoid" it. Nature always finds a way of bringing you back to what really is important.
The set was simple; it was the kitchen of a major ball room with swinging double doors, tons of dishes, plates, glassware and hanging pots and pans-just like a five star restaurant. It was very real and impressive. Althought this play was only fifty minutes with no intermission, it was an emotinally intense fifty minutes!
The play gives many messages concerning love, intimacy, and sexuality at an advance age. Not many plays of its kind around nowadays. A true gem. I give this production five stars!
The American Theater of Actors continues to commit to its philosophy of developing the emerging actor as a viable, contemporary performing artist. This is due to the excellent execution and management brilliance of its founder, James Jennings, who in thirty seven years has "raised" some of the best and most celebrated actors in the business.
"After the ball was over" is a one act which deals with two middle aged co-workers, who, after the ball was over, began the process of cleaning up. But in that process of cleaning up, however, the two co-workers find themselves alone (after the rest of the help, not shown in the play, leave). Gingerly, both wait staff begin to slowly let their "guard down" and begin to explore the risk of being emotionally vulnerable.
The handling of fine dinner wear and utensils carelly, so as to not break them was very metaphoric of their own emotional natures, which, also, like the dinner wear and utensil, must too, be handled with "care".
The director did an excellent job in showing this parallel, and so beautifully executed by the actors. It was very subtle, and quite (silently) dramatic.
Hostrad, a very comical waitor in his sixties, was very animating, inovative, and versatile as he tried and tried to win the attention and the emotional confidence of Edna, a clearly inhibited, repressed, and rather boring "plain jane" type. Never quite speaking and looking at you directly, and never smiling or bieng responsive to the most humane of human sentiments, Edna would quietly go about her mundane chores while Hostrad, to the point of being a pest, would do anything to "jolt" her out of her self-inflicted oppressive shell. You knew that something of a sexual nature occurred in her past which traumatized her and stunted her emotional growth and maturity-upto old age! (and that was heart breaking)
I found this play rather hard to sit through because it was so psychologically painful to see two repressed souls not living to their emotional potential, just letting life pass them by-with no risks, no sense of adventure, or even a zest for life itself! I wanted to get up and leave. But then it dawned on me, these actors a GOOD!
I "bought into" the story, and then got hurled in. Then I realized how important this one act play really was. And the important message it was delivering. This was invaluable!
No matter how old you are, there's always time and room, for romance. It is never too late. But, like everything else in life, sacrifice and risks will have to be faced. One cannot "hide" from life or try to "avoid" it. Nature always finds a way of bringing you back to what really is important.
The set was simple; it was the kitchen of a major ball room with swinging double doors, tons of dishes, plates, glassware and hanging pots and pans-just like a five star restaurant. It was very real and impressive. Althought this play was only fifty minutes with no intermission, it was an emotinally intense fifty minutes!
The play gives many messages concerning love, intimacy, and sexuality at an advance age. Not many plays of its kind around nowadays. A true gem. I give this production five stars!
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