Method – or madness?
Gerald’s Method
Written & directed by Daniel Gallant
Produced by Gallant
Arts (www.gallantarts.com)
Midtown International Theatre Festival (www.midtownfestival.org)
Dorothy Strelsin Theatre,
Equity showcase (through
Review by Charles Battersby
Cynthia (Grey Garrett) and Reid (Joshua Rivedal) are college students studying
theatre. When their campus is shaken by the violent death of a student, they
are the only two pupils who show up for an acting class taught by Gerald (Daniel Gallant).
It turns out that Cynthia was unfortunate enough to find the body of the dead
classmate and, to help cope with these events Gerald coaches Cynthia and Reid
through an improv exercise, which slowly begins to parallel their own lives. There’s
a lot of shop talk for theatre people as this class unfolds- those who’ve
studied acting formally will certainly see shadows of actual mentors, or
students in this play.
However, the drama in Gerald’s Method
is less about the events of the acting class, and more about the secret
motivations of the actors. Early in the play, Reid makes some inquiries into
Gerald’s life as an actor, and why he went from starring in movies and Broadway
shows to teaching college kids. Gerald, as it turns out, had an adventurous
career as a performer before turning to academics. There was a film in
Esperanto, a broken marriage, a criminal record, and a sex scandal, all of which
led to the once-famous thespian teaching the Method to college kids.
It turns out that Reid has used the internet to discover many of his teacher’s
secrets, and deliberately brings them up in his classwork. As Reid prods Gerald
about the downfall of his career, the audience is slowly filled in on the
backstory, and how it all connects to the recent death on campus.
Reid and Cynthia also have a secret that comes into play after a twist at the
end of the show- which then continues on with quite a few more twists. It’s a
complicated show which, much like a long form improv exercise has to be allowed
to make its way to its end before it congeals.
Despite the serious subject matter, Gerald is often played with deadpan comedy
by Gallant (also playwright and director). As a failed actor, Gerald serves out
heaping doses of bitter sarcasm with his advice to his two students, using a
wry, straight-faced delivery.
Garrett and Rivedal are both competent in their roles, but the focus of the
show falls on Gallant, whose character is older, deeper, and much more interesting.
There’s almost no set at all, and very little lighting (Michel Jerome Faulkner) or sound. Costumes are present-day
streetwear. The show doesn’t require any more than this, though.
The show can certainly be recommended for Gallant’s performance, although it
might be a bit too esoteric for those who’ve never studied “The Craft”.
Box Score:
Writing: 1
Directing: 2
Acting: 2
Sets: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
Copyright 2008 by Charles
Battersby
Return to Volume Fourteen,
Number Five Index
Return to Volume Fourteen
Index
Return to Home Page