Show: June of Arc
Company: Sandbox Theater
Venue: UofM Rarig Center Xperimental
Die Roll: 5
I'd never seen a Sandbox show prior to this one. I've been familiar with their work, and their reputation, though. They are a creative force to be reckoned with. And they've proved it once again with June of Arc.
The play revolves around the story of June Cleaver, played by Heather Stone. June is recalling the better days of her life. The ones prior to Wally and the Beav. While she never outright says it, you can see that her life, so often seen as an example of blissful correct living in the 50's, was miserable, though somewhat fulfilling at times. Stone's characterization of June is complex, funny, sorrowful, and beautiful.
Clever staging of 1950's commercials at regular intervals throughout the show are very possibly the best part of the presentation. While Stone's acting is superb, the descent into madness and memory is interrupted with strategically placed bits of relief: an advertisement for shaving cream that explains how the stuff works, one for Dove soap, another for Folgers Coffee. All the commercials are ones that were really on the air back in the first days of Television, and the presentation of them here made me believe that you could do a show of nothing but these gems, and it would do fine, too.
All in all, this was the crispest show I've seen this year. It clipped along and was an enriching experience.
TEN WORD SUMMARY: June makes cookies while remembering better days. Fang Bang! Jello!
Rating: d20 - "One of the Best"
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