Arctic Playhouse’s current show is “Visiting Mr. Green” by Jeff Baron. Eighty-six year old widower Mr. Green is almost hit by a car driven by young corporate executive Ross Gardiner. When Ross is found guilty of reckless driving, he is ordered to spend the next six months making weekly visits to Mr. Green. The show starts off as a comedy with the two characters bickering with each other and resenting being in the same room. It soon becomes more dramatic when family secrets are revealed and old wounds opened up. It deals with accepting the reality of life while dealing with one’s traditions, their family and accepting the changing world around us. Director Sandy Cerel keeps the comic moments flowing wonderfully at the start of the show during their arguments. However as their relationship continues to evolve the two men finally form a bond that turns things into a heartwarming moment between them.The audience is greatly moved by the acting prowess of both these superb actors in this thought provoking play.
Terry Simpson commands the stage as Mr. Green with his slow burns and exasperation at the intrusion of this young man who almost ran him over. At first he questions why Ross is there. The humor comes from one liners like so you work for the train company when Ross tells the older man that he works for American Express. Mr. Green is still in mourning of his wife of 59 years and has no food, no phone service and a noisy water faucet in his very sloppy apartment. His mail has been left unopened for many weeks and the mail figures into the show later in the second act when a secret is revealed about the Greens. Terry is fantastic as this curmudgeonly man who at first is crotchety but thaws out as the show progresses.
Jeff Blanchette, another brilliant performer, is also formidable as at first the older man’s adversary and then later as a person who can see both sides of the coin now. Both Terry and Jeff have a lot of chemistry together as they bicker at first but finally build a relationship with each other gradually throughout the nine scenes of the show. Ross has a secret exposed at the end of Act 1 and the first part of Act 2 revolves around this problem. Sandy brings the pathos out in multiple scenes which leads to a satisfactory ending with a look to a brighter future for both men. Saying anymore about the secrets would spoil the show for audience members. So for a marvelous play with a mixture of comic and dramatic moments and especially with phenomenal acting from both actors, be sure to catch “Visiting Mr. Green” at Arctic Playhouse before time runs out.
VISITING MR. GREEN ( 17 October to 3 November)
ARCTIC PLAYHOUSE, 117 Washington Street, West Warwick, RI
1(401)573-3443 or www.thearcticplayhouse.com
