Happy Times—Imago Theatre—radio play, on demand

 

What the Butler…Didn’t See

    This absurdist, 50 minutedark comedy, was written and directed by Carol Triffle, and produced by Jerry Mouawad.  Sound and court voices by Kyle Delamarter and Jon Farley.   For more information, contact carol@imagotheatre.com

    It seems that Trudy’s (Danielle Vermette) home is really a playground for murder, and her friends, Gladys (Laura Loy) and Judy (Amy Katrina Bryan) are willing participants in this annual, little game that has been going on for years.  Only member of this group that must change every year is the victim because…well, he dies at the end.  But not to despair, he does have a value as he becomes fertilizer forTrudy’s garden.  And, besides, what’s a little murder among friends?!

    Only fly in the ointment this time, is that the victim, the lover/butler of Trudy, Corey (Matt Sunderland) refuses to stay dead…really bad form, ole chum.  And it seems that the courts have no sense of humor about it, as they decided to try the case,anyway.

    The D.A., Mister B. (Randy Bynum) does a remarkable job of grilling the suspects, as well as the intended victim.  All goes swimmingly, hot tub not withstanding, as he details of the “alleged” crime.  Alleged because the intended victim was, indeed, almost killed but from a car accident he had when being confrontedby a a tree…so why not put the tree on trial, instead of these misunderstood ladies?!

    I choose not to give away details for the supposed attempted murder…so that you can decide for yourselves.  Although, I do confess, I usually will take the woman’s point of view over a man’s in most circumstances, as womenare often mild, pleasant, albeit a bit peevish in some instances (as the Bard might concur), as in this one, perhaps.

    This does have a haunting, and loving flavor to it, as a noir-type comedy, as scribed by Triffle.  The actors, too, are obviously having fun with it.  It compares favorably to Dr. Cook’s Garden and, as mentioned in the play, to Hitchcock’s brilliant, “Rope.”  All the more pleasurable (and safer) for you, the listener, to be safely seated, absorbing the chills inwardly, vicariously, while letting the outside world go mad!  I recommend this play.

--DJS

Sweet Afton—Corrib Theatre—Radio P

 

What Price Freedom?!

    This 20-minute radio play by Jaki McCarrick is directed by Tracy Cameron Francis and runs through September 5^th.  For further information, go to their site:   https://corribtheatre.org/sweet-afton 

    It has often been said…Freedom is not Free and the price you pay for it, can be a heavy one.  We see that now with the immigrants, especially children, at the borders between the U. S. and Mexico.  The loss of personal dignity, and often, all your possessions, is evident.      Our own Japanese-American citizens felt this humiliation during WWII, when sent to Internment Camps, simply because they were the “wrong” color.  There is no excuse for such bad behavior by governments but, I fear, it will continue for years to come.

    In this incarnation, we have the camp in Ireland called Direct Provision, a way of detaining and, perhaps, discouraging asylum seekers from becoming a part of the free world.

    Kazim (Shahjehan Khan) and his sister, Leila (Fatima Wardek) are from Afghanistan, looking for refuge in Ireland but are seeing resistance and, in consequence, have been in this camp for five years.  They do make a friend in Andrea (Lauren Bloom Hanover) and Kaz is encourage to run for a political office within the camp, as he wants to improve the situations of all refugees.  I can’t tell you how it turns out, so you will have to listen to it for yourselves.

    The plot, through some very simple but poignant dialogue, exposes the humanity of those concerned, emphasizing that immigrants are not some monsters or low-life’s, but just ordinary folks wanting to contribute to the betterment of Mankind.  The actors are all very believable and the director has endeavor to keep the characters realistic so that we can identify with them.  Well done.

    We currently are beginning the process of doing just that from that war-torn country and this play might highlight the humanity of those people, too, as they adjust to a new life here and elsewhere.  A timely and topical situation, to say the least.