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If Lost Nation Theater’s opening production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is any indication, central Vermont audiences are in for a blockbuster 20th season. Harper Lee’s tale of prejudice in a small Alabama town is a gumbo of emotions, with the spice of anger and fear, the heat of a southern summer, bitter overtones of alcoholism and child abuse, and the piquant highlights of a child’s enjoyment of summer. But what brings it all together and makes it a perennial favorite is its rich gravy of love, tolerance, and a man’s search for the moral life. Playwright Harper Lee, who also wrote the original novel, begins the production with Jean Louise (played by Anne Soloway), a character somewhere in middle age, who will serve as narrator for the events to come. Quickly we meet the Finch children, Scout and Jem, and their summer sidekick, Dill. If there are three better young folks out there to cast, I’ve yet to find them. Liz Gilbert as Scout and Michael Bresette as Jem are fresh talents, and quite believable as brother and sister. Dill, played by Adam Blachley, is worth special notice because he’s the third generation of Blachlys to contribute to Vermont theater. Bill Blachly founded Unadilla Theater Co. His daughter Susannah, who has impressed me several times in performance, is Adam’s mother. Adam is making his professional debut at Lost Nation, and his performance is a clear argument for genetic inheritance. Also intriguing was the physical match between narrator Jean Louise, known in her youth as Scout, and the young Scout. Occasional blended lines and actress Soloway’s intense focus on the unfolding scenes helped every member of the audience keep up with the action. Every role was delicious, although not always delightful. Lost Nation’s familiar Larry Lambeth created a Bob Ewell who was darn close to evil, perfectly appropriate for a man—who at the very least—beats his daughter violently. Hannah Brown treks down from Mt. Mansfield high school to present a very believable and pathetic Mayella. It would be impossible not to give your heart to Mark Roberts, who plays the reclusive Boo Radley. Meredith Watson’s work as Calpurnia is first rate, as is Barry Armbrister as Reverend Sykes. Special recognition goes to Edgar Davis of Hardwick, the young man who finds himself the victim of the town’s intense fear and resulting hatred of blacks. Edgar is largely silent, and really only appears during the show’s trial scene, but he exudes an air of decency and compassion that humbled me. But the night belongs to Braintree’s own Kim Bent and his two stage children. Bent, the founder of Lost Nation Theater, reprises his role as Atticus Finch, piloting his audience and his children gently through a variety of moral minefields in the quiet manner of a man in pursuit of simple fairness and human decency. We learn that he’s a crack rifleman when he brings down a rabid dog with a single shot, but that he gave up shooting 15 years earlier "when he realized God had given him an unfair advantage over other living things." He agrees to defend Tom Robinson, the black man accused by Mayella of raping her, despite the pain it will bring to his family, because "Before I’ve got to live with others, I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is conscience." Theater sometimes gives us material which enriches while it challenges, provokes while it pleases, and elevates human goodness to inspire us to continue on in our various struggles. This is such a play, and Lost Nation’s performance of it is worth everyone’s notice. The show continues through May 11, with performances at 7pm on Thursdays and Sundays, and the more traditional 8pm curtain on Fridays and Saturdays. Reserve seats by calling 802-229-0492 or going onoline to lostnationtheater.org Note to Marjie: Charlie wrote it this way: Also intriguing was the physical match between Jean Louise, known in her youth as Jem, and the young Jem. I changed it to Scout. Am I crazy here, or his he? |
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