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MILWAUKEE
- “A Time to Live” is the kind of sweet-sad play that
quietly breaks your heart. Written by local playwright Howard
Goldstein and performed at The Windfall Theater in The Village
Church in Milwaukee, the story features a recently married
couple - she, a doctor, and he, a professor of Eastern
philosophy, living through the last year of their life
together.
The
setting is in Milwaukee, near Lake Michigan, a phenomenon of
nature that figures prominently in the story. The structure is
episodic as the journey of Madeline and Richard unfolds
through the four seasons of the year. Besides the dialogue
between the two characters, both speak directly to the
audience at times, giving us some thoughts they don’t share
with each other.
The set
design is simple but effective. It was a collaborative effort,
shared by Carol Zippel, who also directed the play, Dan Austin
and the playwright Goldstein. The lighting was designed by
Kevin Czarnota and is an important component in the story as
time changes and wanes. The bed dominates the setting, but the
window, the folding screen and the bookshelves filled with the
“stuff” of their lives together also contribute to the
story.
Madeline
is dying of cancer and has chosen to stop treatment and try to
enjoy the time that remains. Richard doesn’t totally agree
with her decision but tries to be supportive and accepting. A
plethora of human emotions reveals themselves here -
confusion, sadness, frustration, anger, love, fear, despair
and hope. Because their personalities are quite different,
each character deals with pain and uncertainty quite
differently, but the constant in the story is their steadfast
love; albeit how to express it is far from simple and
straightforward.
Madeline
often seems to be pushing Richard away, helping him to learn
to live without her, and Richard is either clinging or
escaping. Ironically, his knowledge of Buddhist teaching
doesn’t seem to be a very helpful guide for him. However, by
the story’s end, one feels a peace and acceptance,
indicating that both characters have reached some measure of
wisdom in the painful process of facing their mortality.
Beth
Monhollen and Christopher Elst are superb in their roles. We
grow to love them both but can’t quite understand how two
such different people ended up together (but isn’t that
always a mystery).
The
references to and descriptions of Lake Michigan, which becomes
a symbol of forces beyond our control, a source of beauty and
enjoyment, and a reminder of how life is forever changing,
greatly enrich the poignant, poetic script.
The
intimate space of The Village Church is the perfect vehicle
for a lovely but heart-wrenching piece such as this. There was
a full house on opening night, so don’t wait to reserve a
seat.
“A Time
to Live” continues at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Monday, Feb.
28, March 1 and March 2 at The Village Church, 130 E. Juneau
Ave., Milwaukee. Call 414-332-3963 or visit
www.windfalltheatre.com for tickets.
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