THE BASICS: HOARDING HOPE, a play by Kerrykate Abel Smith, directed by the playwright, starring Marie Costa, Matt Refermat, and El. C. Tyner Oct 20 – Nov 5, Fri – Sat 7:30, Solar 4:00 on the Paul Robeson Theatre within the African American Cultural Middle, 350 Masten Ave, Buffalo (716) 713-9340
Runtime: 1 hour 20 minutes with out intermission
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: Alexis (aka Faye) is a younger nurse, recent out of faculty, who takes a place in New York Metropolis within the early Eighties, caring for an aged girl whose homosexual son, George, feeling unhealthy for Alexis’s mousey way of life, introduces her to The Saint, a homosexual nightclub, positioned within the East Village, which (I’ve learn) set the usual for disco presentation, lighting, and sound system. Alexis loves the glitz and glamor. However quickly the AIDS disaster begins to have an effect on quite a lot of the regulars and the nurse, seeing how the medical institution doesn’t appear to care, steps in to supply assist, consolation, and hope. The play is predicated on true tales shared by individuals who have been there.
THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: You possibly can inform when a “new” play (the primary model was written in 2014) has been workshopped and has gone by way of readings as a result of it flows and takes you alongside on the journey with out “bumps” within the plot or dialogue. And what a journey that is, and what an actress is on stage for nearly all the time, Maria Costa, in a job that she embraces. We first meet her carrying a storage field and bowing earlier than an infinite center-stage portrait of Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor was the primary movie star to get actively concerned in fundraising and pressuring politicians to assist, lengthy earlier than AIDS was “charitably appropriate” when it was nonetheless not mentioned. Again when it was the stuff of concern and loathing when hospitals would depart meals for AIDS sufferers on the ground exterior the rooms to spoil and when docs would refuse to deal with these struggling.
Alongside the way in which, we study concerning the two biggest motivators – concern and love – the primary resulting in all kinds of shameful habits and the second resulting in all kinds of heroic habits. This can be a play about, as we learn within the director’s word, those that “exemplified what a hero actually is, and what LOVE means.”
The essential concept is timeless, and certainly Paul Robeson Theatre’s Inventive Director Verneice Turner, who all the time addresses the viewers earlier than every present, talked about our present viral epidemic and expressed shock and dismay that over 1 million individuals have died from COVID-19. Her pre-show speak jogged my memory of thinker George Santayana’s well-known quote: “Those that can not bear in mind the previous are condemned to repeat it.” Sure, it is a have a look at the horrible mishandling of the AIDS epidemic. But it surely’s introduced in dramatic kind, not as a finger-pointing diatribe, and so alongside the way in which there are humorous moments and nice music together with some 80s moments.
Whereas dancing at The Saint, the songs included “Inform Me Why” by Supermode (“Cry, boy, cry… Inform Me Why, Inform Me Why, Inform Me Why”); 1982’s “Assist Your self” by Lime (“Aah, two by two/And 4 by 4/All people’s on the transfer/They’re on the dance ground”); and 1984’s “Final Name” by Jo Lo (“We’ve acquired yet another likelihood/To seek out true romance.”). Whereas there isn’t a intermission, there’s a three-minute reflective pause the place we get to listen to an icon of the Eighties, Grace Jones, and her track “Inspiration” (“I’ve been trying to find some inspiration, /The factor I wrote off as false got here true, /One other present of mine with love from me to you”).
So, what does the title imply? I’ve discovered it helpful, later in my life, to search for phrases. HOARDING: Individuals with hoarding dysfunction have persistent issue eliminating or parting with possessions as a result of a perceived want to save lots of the gadgets. HOPE: Hope is a strong protector in opposition to continual or life-threatening sicknesses. When the play opens we see a stage suffering from storage bins (the sort they offer you at work when you’re terminated) which we come to grasp maintain the possessions of those that died, those that had nobody to assert their property, actually because their households had successfully disowned them. We come to seek out out that each time anybody dies of AIDS the place she works, and no one cares to assert the possessions, Alexis takes them dwelling, and labels them, saving the reminiscences of these whom households and society have forgotten. She hoards the bins, simply as she has been hoarding hope for her sufferers for therefore lengthy. Which may sound just a little odd as you learn this in print. Belief me, once you see it, you’ll get it.
Marie Costa is marvelous within the lead position, commanding the stage for nearly all the 80 minutes, and I believed each facet of her character. She is sort of ably supported by two robust actors, Matt Refermat as “George” (and others) and El C. Tyner as “Derek” (and others).
Within the “Director’s Notice” the playwright/director Abel writes: “This story (and within the first version, a one-woman present) is predicated on a whole bunch of hours of interviewing, fact-finding, investigation and researching the individuals who offered look after early AIDS sufferers in NYC and Buffalo, NY from 1980-1996. It’s supposed to pay homage to the caretakers who labored endlessly and thanklessly to supply consolation, care, and dying with dignity to all of the victims of early AIDS. With humility and gratitude, I dedicate this work to them, hoping that they may know that, then and now, they exemplified what a hero actually is, and what LOVE means. We might have misplaced many, however many are right here at this time due to their efforts and care.”
Earlier than the present, the performing Inventive Director of the Paul Robeson Theatre, Verneice Turner, in her remarks, thanked Richard Lambert of The New Phoenix Theatre and Javier Bustillos of Buffalo United Artists for offering venues for early readings.
NEXT FOR KERRYKATE ABEL: She’ll be the character “Eddie” in ROCKY HORROR at D’Youville College’s Kavinoky Theatre Oct 27 by way of Nov 19 and on Tuesday, November 14 at 7:00 pm she’ll be at WNED’s new efficiency house at 140 Decrease Terrace (parking off Charles Road). The blurb reads: “Be part of Buffalo’s Queen of Cabaret Kerrykate Abel and her unbelievable accompanist Chuck Basil as they have a good time 25 years of making music collectively! This one-night-only occasion will characteristic music by Berlin, Cohan, Gershwin, Henderson and extra! Be there as we bear in mind the songs that have been particular to our grandparents . . . and to us too!” The occasion is free however you should register to attend. Parking is free in our gated parking zone! Go to wned.org/neighborhood/screenings-and-events.
NEXT ON STAGE AT THE PAUL ROBESON THEATRE: The Inclusive Theatre of Western New York, in collaboration with the PRT presents SPLIT/WIT by Buffalo playwright Gary Earl Ross, directed by Lawrence Rowsell, Nov 10 – 19, Fri – Sat 7:30, Solar 4:00.
*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Score System)
ONE BUFFALO: This implies hassle. A dreadful play, a extremely flawed manufacturing, or each. Until there’s some compelling cause so that you can attend (i.e. you’re the mum or dad of somebody who’s in it), give this present a large berth.
TWO BUFFALOS: Satisfactory, however no nice shakes. Both the manufacturing is fairly far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Until you’re the type of one that’s completely happy simply going to the theater, you may go searching for one thing else.
THREE BUFFALOS: I nonetheless have my points, however it is a fairly darn good night time on the theater. For those who don’t go in with enormous expectations, you’ll in all probability be happy.
FOUR BUFFALOS: Each the manufacturing and the play are of excessive caliber. If the style/content material is up your alley, I might make an actual effort to attend.
FIVE BUFFALOS: Actually excellent–a uncommon ranking. Comedies that depart you weak with laughter, dramas that contact the guts. Supplied that that is the sort of present you want, you’d be a idiot to overlook it!