TheatreWorks' Anna in the Tropics


Annoying audience members make this langourous piece hard to appreciate

OK, it's hot and muggy in Florida, so everyone moves slow and throws limpid languid looks at each other.

At least that's what I could ascertain as I tipped my head from side to side trying to see around the restless huge-headed guy sitting in front of me.

And when not being distracted by the whispering and tuna-fish-sandwich eating of the teenage boy sitting behind us.

Some years ago I vowed never to sit on the lawn again at Shoreline Amphitheatre when it became clear that the lawn was for people who thought of the music happening on stage as background music to their social gathering. I'm beginning to feel the same way when I go see live theatre. Between the cell phones and candy wrappers and talking through overtures and more, well, let me tell you...if I won the lottery I would pay the cast/crew of every show I want to see to put on an extra command performance just for me and my invited guests.

Anyway, Anna in the Tropics. It won a Pulitzer Prize, and I'm thinking that's probably because of its poetic use of language, but I actually found the story kind of trite. I'm waiting for a play that doesn't turn a frustrated man into a rapist, and a young innocent into a broken doll. It just felt so predictable, and yet so unbelievable.

There are some wonderful female performances in the show, namely Vilma Silva as Conchita and Isabelle Ortega as Marela. But these two, along with Apollo Dukakis as Santiago, were really the only ones who seemed to inhabit authentic people on stage, while other principals seemed more like actors playing characters. Sure, I know they were all that, but I like it to be a little less on display.

Honestly, my enjoyment was severely hampered by the annoying folks in front of and behind me, but the fact that they were so restless is perhaps an indicator that even at under 2.5 hours, sometimes a play can feel a little leisurely.

Posted: Sun - March 26, 2006 at 07:17 PM       EmailFeedback

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