This review has been reposted courtesy of the League of Cincinnati Theatres. For more LCT reviews click here to visit their reviews page.
Untethered Theater’s Three Days of Rain is definitely an ambitious performance at Clifton Performance Theatre. The first act opens in 1995, the second act in the same apartment in 1960. This was a play of three actors playing two roles each and was well-played by this 3-person ensemble, MaryKate Moran, Carter Bratton, and newcomer to Untethered, Adam Jones.
MaryKate Moran as Nan, Carter Bratton as Pip & Adam Jones as Walker.
The story begins with the encounter of a brother (Ned) and his sister (Nan) after a long period of time only to meet a lawyer to find out what their deceased father had left behind for them. Pip, a common friend of them both, as well as affectionately close to their father, joins the meeting as well. The elaborate yet concise stage set up is initially a rundown studio apartment where the Ned and Pip’s Dad began their modest journey together as architects. It is clear neither of the siblings went through a normal family life During the first half of the play Ned attempts to discover his father through an enigmatic journal, first page of which is dated for three consecutive days and has just these four words written: “Three Days of Rain”.
Following the intermission we see the same set but everything is alive as the set takes us back to the days when Walker (Ned’s father) and Theo (Pip’s father) were in their early days as architects. The low self-esteemed and a chronic stutterer Walker felt fortunate to have an outgoing and influential friend like Theo, while Theo diplomatically depended on the talent of Walker to advance to fame as an architect. Theo also has a rocky relationship with his girlfriend, Lina, who is not always charmed by his extraverted nature. The chemistry and relationship between these characters form a complicated triangle.
The first act develops curiosity within the audience who try to anticipate where the story is going. We expect some twisting revelation. But although the story in the second half presents a sharper relationship drama, it lacks the brilliance of the first half and seems to present a more clichéd version of a romantic triangle.
Nevertheless, the three actors still render excellent performances that continue to draw our undivided attention. Adam Jones (Ned) from the first half reappears as his father, Walker, in the second half. The strongly contrasting character of these two men was vividly portrayed in Adam Jones’s performance. From his clothing, hairdo and mannerisms, Adam Jones led us to believe he was not the same man in these two different roles. Mary Kate Moran’s performance as Nan and Lina, was less polished and her roles were much less dynamic. As Pip, Carter Bratton’s portrayal was somewhat flat, as the smooth finesse of both characters did not allow as much contrast between them.
This production, perhaps, needs a bit more time to gel. Once it does, it will be compelling theater. As it stands, it is a show that had good moments with occasional missteps in between. The costumes in this play needed a lot more attention, especially to draw contrast between Walker and Theo and the different eras. The sound and lightening design helped to separate the indoor and outdoor spaces but it was rough at times. The sound was often too loud over the actors and the light didn’t hit all the actors correctly and caused strange shadows. Lighting operation malfunctioned a couple of times though Adam Jones spontaneously attempted to cover it up by impromptu dialogue. And most definitely big kudos must go out to Buz Davis for a creatively thoughtful scenic design with extensive detail. Leah Strasser did a great job directing this play. Her skill was evident, although occasional lack of attention to details provided some confusion at times.
Overall, the audience was well-served by this subtle play. The bond between the actors, as well as everyone else at the Clifton Performance Theatre was vibrantly in evidence through their collaborative and energetic presentation. One can warmly utter: “a small theatre doing big things”. Three Days of Rain is recommended for the passionate lovers of good theater.
For more information on the production, click here.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 