Hub Theatre - Theater Mirror

Review by James Wilkinson

‘The Clearing’ – Written by Helen Edmundson. Directed by Daniel Bourque. Set Design: Cassie Chapados. Lighting Design: Chris Bocchiaro. Sound Design: Ian Conway. Costume Design: Erica Desautels and Nancy Ishara. Props Designer: Justin Lahue. Presented by Hub Theatre Company at First Church in Boston, April 5-20, 2019.

For the first ten minutes of Hub Theatre Company’s production of The Clearing I had a sinking feeling in my gut that I was convinced would be with me the whole evening. I had purposefully gone into the theater knowing as little as possible about the plot of Helen Edmundson’s play, so I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. That sinking feeling began when the lights went down and a projection revealed that we were stepping into 17^th century Ireland and got worse when actress Lily Steven ran onstage in period costume and actor Jon Vellante began speaking in a thick Irish brogue. It’s clear that the design team has gone all out for the production (more on that in a bit), but in my own humble experience, historical narratives tend to run dry on stage, featuring characters and dialogue that’s practically upholstered. So when a production telegraphs that we’re going to be traveling long ago and far away, I usually start looking for the exit and wondering if I can make a break for it.

Review by James Wilkinson

True West is presented by Hub Theatre Company. Written by Sam Shepard. Directed by Daniel Bourque. Set Design by Ben Lieberson. Lighting Design by Chris Bocchiaro. Costume Design by Nancy Ishihara. Sound Design by Jay Mobley. Props Design by Cesara Walters and Valerie Tracy. Fight Director: Samantha Richert. Presented by Hub Theatre Company at First Church in Boston, April 13-28, 2018.

I’m gonna miss Sam Shepard like hell. I never met the man, but I’ve been reading and rereading his plays since discovering them in college. Before his death in 2017 he had written over fifty plays in a career that spans just as many years. In that time he managed to leave his own distinct mark on American theater, providing a theatrical vision inspired by the myths of the American west. In much of his best work he examines and deconstructs what should be comforting and stable environments to expose an undercurrent of violence waiting to explode. And he does this while also occasionally taking the time to be howlingly funny. To the best of my recollection, it’s been a while since Boston theater has seen a production of a Shepard play, (I offer my profound apologies if there’s a production that I have overlooked/forgotten). Thankfully, Hub Theatre Company has taken up the cause with their fantastic new production of Shepard’s True West, now playing at First Church in Boston. For Shepard fans, the production is a gift. For those unfamiliar with his work, now’s the time to get on board.

Tag: Hub Theatre

Hub Theatre Steps into ‘The Clearing’

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