Caroline Gillis and Tracy Wright in A Beautiful View. Photo by Gunter Kravis.
A Beautiful View by Daniel MacIvor (Remounted)
Originally produced by Sherrie Johnson
Starring Caroline Gillis and Tracy Wright
Directed by Daniel MacIvor
Runs until Sunday, May 24 @ Tarragon Theatre’s Extra Space
By Daina Valiulis
The final piece to be performed by Daniel MacIvor and Sherrie Johnson’s theatre company da da kamera, A Beautiful View presents the morphing relationship of two women, M (Caroline Gillis) and L (Tracy Wright), across three decades. They meet by chance at a camping goods store and go through various stages of intimacy beginning with a sexual episode followed by years of friendship and ending somewhere in between. Originally used for instruction of a graduate performance class at Ohio University, the play has since gone on to sell out at Buddies in Bad Times and earn Dora nominations for Outstanding Production of a play, Outstanding Direction of a Play, and Outstanding Sound Design—with good reason!
From the beginning, Caroline Gillis’ nervous, chatty, eager spunkiness juxtaposes and perfectly balances Tracy Wright’s droning sarcasm. Their relationship (the third entity onstage) seemed very much alive, due to the honesty and very real tension each brought to the table. MacIvor first develops a theme and find actors to join in creating the characters. In this case, the collaborative process served to create a realistically unique relationship with ups and downs, reflecting who the characters are. The performers’ comfort with each other and the text added to the intimacy of the entire piece, boosting the solidly told and rhythmically smooth whole.
It was striking how active lighting and sound were in creating the world the characters inhabit. Spotlights lit up the women as they spoke their monologues to the audience, directing focus and emphasizing the importance of the words. They were also used to emulate a crowded bar and a campsite paired with the fantastic soundscape of a ukulele band and chirping crickets.
After years of ups and downs, the women find the connection both long so much for in each other. A great mix of comedy, drama, intimacy, and distance, A Beautiful View keeps it simple but effective: good cast, good lighting and sound, and a good story.
