Players' no-frills `After the Fall' explores one man's life
In stark contrast to the glitz and glamour of Shakespeare and the various musicals being put on this week at several colleges, the Rice Players' production of Arthur Miller's After The Fall provides a thought-provoking alternative.
Directed by Sandy Havens, After the Fall is considered by many to be Miller's most mature work. The play's dialogue probes moral and ethical quandries facing our society, issues concerned with how -- as individuals and as a nation -- our desire to be innocent blinds us from the evils of our actions. Does innocence kill? Miller clearly thinks so: It is only through knowing ourselves and accepting responsibility for our actions that we hope to live in peace and attain love.
After the Fall centers on the lead character, Quentin (Mike Kass); it shuffles back and forth from scene to scene to recreate experiences in Quentin's life. These experinces range from the depression years to World War II, the Holocaust, the Cold War, the House Un-American Activities Committee and, most importantly, his past involvement with women (including his own two failed marriages).
The play starts out slowly, and the plot can seem a bit confusing at times. As it moves on, everything picks up, blossoming in Act II. We first see Quentin reminiscing about an old girlfriend, Felice, (Kari Hoffman), who had her nose fixed in order to impress Quentin.
Then we jump to Germany, where we visit the stoic Holga (Rachael Gilg), who takes Quentin to see the remnants of a concentration camp. Quentin feels uneasy for never committing to her. His mother (Elizabeth Davis) and father (Julian Altschul) pop up in scene after scene to reveal Quentin's roots, as well as the catastrophe of the father losing all the family's money in bad investment decisions. (Enter the mental imbalance phase of Quentin's childhood.)
Quentin's first wife, Elsie (Karin Kross), gets the bad end of the stick. She feels unwanted by a husband who believes that a trusting relationship is one where a man can tell his wife that he wanted to sleep with another woman -- but found the strength not to.
At this point, the purpose of certain flashback scenes becomes confusing. The dialogue is tight, so missing one sentence can leave you wondering where you are.
Kass plays Quentin with great fluency and strength, allowing the mature, yet somewhat undaunting, scenes to move at a smooth pace. Still, at times, the part could be played with more emotion.
The play's high point arrives when Quentin's life comes into perspective with Maggie's entrance. Maggie is a childlike ditz who is attractive, yet unsure of herself. She's a star in the show-biz world, but how she became one, with her severe lack of common sense, is anyone's guess. The adult content of feelings, morality and ethics climax here between Kass' and Knuepper's characters and is handled well between the two, although stronger badgering would have made it much more gripping.
This play has definite moments of brilliance. We don't get to see enough of several actors with small parts who deliver strong performances. Honorable mentions go to Ahmad Hernandez as Lou, the nutty professor, and Scott Banks as Dan, who puts self before country in selling his friends out in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee just for peace of mind.
After the Fall is a complex play addressing subjects such as morality, adultery and the cleansing of the soul by giving truth over lies. The acting, unbiased and convincing throughout, makes After the Fall well worth watching.
After the Fall runs March 20-23 and 27-30 at Hamman Hall at 8 p.m. Call 527-4040 for ticket information.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the March 22, 1996 issue.
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