by Tony Annicone
Trinity Repertory Company’s second show of their season is the continuation of their opening show, “The Inheritance” Part 2. When originally presented, the show was performed in seven hours, intended to be seen on the same day. After Part 1, the audience wonders if Eric will ever learn about his inheritance from his friend and benefactor. In Part 2 we continue to learn what someone receives personally from their own family including how they were brought up is also an inheritance. It also discusses what you do with what you have been given and what it can do for you. Can it help you or hinder you? Hopefully, you can fix the problem or let it ruin your life. The first play dealt with what one gets from their ancestors and paying homage to those who came before you. How their struggles in the past influence you now and in the future. Even though part 1 conclusion created a sense of peace and importance, part 2 starts off in a more flippant manner with Henry going back to being more stoic. Part 2 still has its heartbreaking moments and rivets you to your seat in anticipation of what will happen to Eric and to Toby.
Director Joe Wilson Jr. works his magic as a director once again with his multitalented cast performing both shows in repertory. He gives each of them their moment to shine in this show. We find out that Eric’s closeness to Henry, a billionaire who is enamored of the Republican agenda which all of Eric’s friends are against. Henry is busy making money from Saudi Arabia. His friend, Jasper gets into an argument with Henry in his own home and the audience is shocked when Eric makes a major decision.
Meanwhile Toby after having a meltdown over a line change in his play and is banned from the theatre. He continues his close relationship with Leo, the prostitute he picked up at the end of Part 1. He buys books for him, takes him to Fire Island, makes him have sex with other men and gets him hooked on drugs. His continued descent is sad to witness as Toby doesn’t seek therapy or rehab to cure his problems after finally confronting his past and writing a true story of his past. The storylines are both fascinating and heart wrenching at the same time.
Jack Dwyer plays Eric fabulously. The character is as likeable as he is in part one but the audience still roots that he finds out what Walter really wanted for him. Jack commands the stage in his scenes especially the dramatic confrontation with Toby at the wedding, his sympathetic scenes with Leo and Margaret and wins the complete sympathy of the audience. The epilogue reveals what happens to the characters.
Taavon Gamble as Toby Darling displays the tortured soul beneath his bravado. He mines the layers of this character beautifully while the audience yearns for him to shape up. His scenes with Chingwe Padraig Sullivan as both Leo and Adam crackle with electricity. The argument scene with Adam is intense and the abusive scenes with Leo are frightening. Toby’s buying books for Leo displays the tender side of his character. The final scene with Toby, Leo and Eric is brilliantly performed and leaves the audience in tears at its impact.
Mauro Hantman does a marvelous job as Henry Wilcox. His cold exterior is because the loss of Walter was too much for him to handle so he’s cut himself off from loving anyone again. We see him struggling with this with a flashback scene with Andrew Holder playing young Walter and Michael Jennings Mahoney playing young Henry. They both do a splendid job in these roles. We learn how their relationship began and how it deteriorated when Walter brought his friend with AIDS into the house. Mauro delivers his enormous dialogue with ease.
Other performers do a terrific job in Part 2, too. Daniel Mattar Merten shines as the argumentative, Jasper who tells Henry what he thinks of him especially when he says “It is We the People, not I the People” when discussing Trump with Henry. Tobias Wilson also does splendid job when telling Eric that he’s moving to Canada because he will never be able to live in a country of division with white supremacy and other atrocities that will come with the Republican regime. In Act 3, Jackie Davis as Margaret tells the story of her son, Michael who moved from Alabama to New York when he was 17. She says he held her hand after he was born, didn’t accept his being gay and stayed upset with him for years until Walter brought her to New York on Michael’s deathbed. Jackie’s monologue is heartbreaking as she relates that he finally woke up and grabbed her hand before he passed away. Stephen Thorne who was magnificent in Part 1, plays Forster, the author who explains the difference between sex and love to Eric and appears briefly as Walter in Part 2. Kudos to director, Joe Wilson Jr. and the whole cast for doing a dynamite job on this phenomenal epic play that although it contains serious subject matter, also tempers it with lighter moments, too. For a play that will resonate with you for many years, be sure to catch “The Inheritance” Part 2 at Trinity Repertory Company before time runs out. You will see acting and directing at their best in this fitting conclusion to this tale. It leaves the audience thoroughly enthralled throughout both shows. Their website is www.trinityrep.com Tell them Tony sent you.
THE INHERITANCE Part 2 (24 September to 6 November)
Trinity Repertory Theatre, 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI
(401)351-4242
