Exploring Language "On The Verge"

New Rep’s final mainstage production of the season, On the Verge begins as a tale of three Victorian-era women setting off to explore uncharted lands - “Terra Incognita” as they call it.  At a time when women are just beginning such exploration without being accompanied by a men, the three set off, but by the end of the play they end up in the year 1955 surrounded by American pop culture.  Along the way, the tree women run into several men including one called Mr. Coffee and Nicky Paradise who owns Nicky’s Bar and Grill - a hip 50s resort casino.  The real focus of the play is not a linear storyline, or character development, but language – playing with and inventing language.  Sharp, funny lines abound in this wacky comedy, but you might find yourself shaking your head wondering what’s going on. 

Director Jim Petosa assembles a great cast of New Rep veterans including Paula Langton, Adrianne Krstansky, and Christine Hamel as the three “sister sojourners” as they call themselves and Benjamin Evett playing the other characters.  The three women each give a tour de force performance scaling mountains of dialogue filled with esoteric words, neologisms, and play on words - all this while delivering lines with good comedic timing.  Benjamin Evett delivers an equally strong performance embodying a range of men (and a yeti) of different ages, places, and times. 

Reflecting on the play, I may have enjoyed it more if I stopped trying to focus on any semblance of a comprehensible plot line and just enjoyed the crazy words coming out of the actors mouths.  I found myself laughing frequently, but struggling to make much sense of the play.  While not really an absurdist play, it does occasionally have that feel mixed in with language you might find in a Stoppard play or possibly even Mamet (minus the swearing).  For those who love language and wordplay, there are many funny moments throughout the 2hour 15minute piece, and if you enter the piece just expecting that and great acting, it can make for an enjoyable night of theater.

 

~Frank Furnari - New Rep Reviewer