“Freedom 85”, a clever, entertaining, and touching one-act play that is part of the Frigid New York 2009 Festival, ends its New York run tomorrow (Sunday, Mar.8). Every element of the production, from the script, to the performances, to the direction and sound design, is impressive. The two actors, Debra Hale (who also wrote the piece) and Andrea Risk, are talented and energetic; they make an exciting team as they successfully take on the challenge of playing 12 distinctive characters of varying ages, ethnicities, and of both genders, without ever changing costumes or even leaving the stage.
The play introduces us to the feisty but fragile Sybil, an 85-year-old English immigrant who lives in the small town of Riverdale, in eastern Canada. Having just broken out of the retirement home that she refers to as “the morgue”, she befriends the wayward Kate, a younger woman who is trying to make a fresh start after a long struggle with personal demons in faraway Vancouver. Sybil, unaware of Kate’s troubled history, asks the younger woman to be her personal assistant, and complications arise as Sybil’s son, Duff, gets involved, and Kate slips back into her destructive pattern.
A comedy with poignant moments, the play takes us on a journey through Sybil’s past and present. Hale and Risk quickly create and re-create various settings and time periods with simplicity and specificity, dazzling the audience with their range and timing. I attended this afternoon’s performance and was pleased to see that the audience shared my enthusiasm as they gave the women a standing ovation, an occurrence that is rather rare off-off Broadway.
If you are searching for entertainment options this weekend, I would highly recommend this charming play. It will cost you a mere $10, and it will make for a make for an enjoyable experience.
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“Freedom 85” has its final show tomorrow (Sunday, Mar. 8) at 1 PM, at Under St. Marks (94 St. Mark’s Place, between 1st Ave. and Ave. A).
To learn more about the production and to buy tickets for tomorrow’s performance, click here.
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