By Marcina Zaccaria . . .
Esther Williamson and Bill Bowers find themselves cycling through life as players with the Victoria Canada Bicycle Theatre Company in The Making of a Great Moment, now playing at Urban Stages Theatre through October 29.
Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, the Playwright, delivers a winding, episodic script that relies on us cheering for the actors in the play within a play. He wants us to love these fundamentally endearing members of a bicycle theater company. Mona and Terry, played by Williamson and Bowers, encounter so much of what is typical in a distance road journey. Their tempo is impressive, and there is great phrasing in every vignette. The bound and unbound world of potential frustrates while it brings the players closer to their life’s mission. Past the trees and over long talks outdoors in a tent, the potential of the human being who would endure the possibility of hardship and even a roadside accident is explored.
How do we get through crisis? How must we get out of the darkness and go into the light? Mona and Terry are really dreamers, determined to give up their apartments and embrace the open sky in Canada. They like to challenge the mind about what it might be like to plant the seeds of change. Though drug experimentation might lead one down another route, it doesn’t bring us closer to the fundamental mysteries that continue to impress them.
James Barry, the Director, has insisted on tight performances, deeply physical interaction, and a few camera tricks to hold everyone’s attention. The physical humor is combined with an admiration of characters who endure their arduous journey with astonishing precision and alacrity. Clown techniques provide a sense of relief. Scenic and Projection Designer Matt Whiton appreciates the beauty of a starlit sky, but the most memorable image is of the players riding bicycles on stands. Metaphor is embraced, particularly as Mona struggles with tire repair.
In the end, what is learned is that the most important thing about their existence is their relationship with each other. Lighting Designer John Salutz presents some interesting images, particularly when the characters argue about the essential nature of their achievement, and what it’s like to get out of the dark.
The Making of a Great Moment. Through October 29 at Urban Stages Theater (259 West 30th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues). www.urbanstages.org
Photos: Andrew Greto
