Playwright (and novelist) Anthony Giardina has set his play Custody of the Eyes in a series of short vignettes that happen not only in different places, but also different times. It is the latter that is the most confusing. The former benefits greatly from a handsome and interesting set designed by Russell Parkman, in which both sides of the stage are confined by a sliding wooden arc of a wall (much like the larger one that defines the stage at Blossom.) With the use of minimal set pieces, the stage becomes a ferry boat, various locations at the Catholic Church in the island community including the garden, and the apartment of the young woman who is—intentionally or inadvertently—the catalyst for the action.
There are two stories being told here, on this somewhat isolated island off the coast of Maine, that combine to form the entirety. One appears to start at the end and go backwards, while the other starts at the beginning, and moves forward. This one is not resolved, while a good bit of the play happens where these two threads intersect.
A young priest has come up missing, and in order to find out why, a Bishop and another priest, an older, once disgraced man, have come to investigate. To explain what happened and why, flashbacks tell of the younger man’s meeting with an equally young divorced woman seeking his help. She wants her terminally ill son to receive communion before he dies. The boy is unlikely to understand any of the ritual in order to be a willing participant.
The acting varies from overblown to minimalist, which is also confusing. Jan Leslie Harding is attractive, but her character Sheila Rosenthal, seems awfully shallow in many ways. She is however, a devoted mother, perhaps too much so, which easily triggers the unwanted response in the young priest, Edmond LeBlanc, portrayed by Joseph Collins. It is his torment that triggers the action throughout. Although he has been taught ‘you do not look in the eyes of what may tempt you’ the reality is far different from the classroom.
J.R. Horne as the Bishop is smugly cynical, wishing for a return to the ‘good old days’ as he searches for explanations and a solution to his problem with the ever-decreasing church population. Kenneth Tigar as the disgraced priest Robert Sullivan earns the acting accolades, however, with his second act ‘confession’ scene. It was so mesmerizing one could have heard a pin drop, and his agony was palpable.
Local actor Paula Duesing was wonderful as Mrs. Callahan, a church lady par excellance, without whom no church can ever hope to survive. The scenes when she spars with the bishop could almost have been a master class on underplaying for effect.
Mark Mayo was more convincing as the Ferryman than he was as Gary, the boyfriend of the young mother, and devoted attendant to young Riley (who was played by Alexander Timothy Biats.) The scenes between Gary and Sheila never quite rang true as there seemed no real basis for attraction between these two opposites.
Generally, director Michael Butler moved things along at a reasonable pace, although at times, a slightly faster pace might have helped. Sound was by resident sound designer James C. Swonger, and the truly gorgeous lighting was by Nancy Schertler. Costumes were by Charlotte Yetman.
Nevertheless, the Cleveland Play House should be commended for presenting this new play as part of their FusionFest’06. Custody of the Eyes continues at CPH through May 21. For tickets call (216) 795-7000 or go on-line to http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATadelphia.net (:divend:)