Circle Mirror Transformation

Have you ever taken an acting class? Ever wanted to? I recently got to see an awesome play set in an acting class - Circle Mirror Transformation at South Coast Repertory, playing through Jan 30th, 2011.

This play is extremely well written and SCR's performance is well acted. The story is written where most of the drama happens offstage, outside the classroom, or in the weeks between classes. But with a few short sentences between characters during the class breaks, the audience knows exactly what is going on. And more of the drama is revealed as the characters participate in the various acting exercises that make up the class.

An OBIE Award-winner, this comedy triumph was extended twice by popular demand and landed on the Top Ten list of The New York Times and The New Yorker!  In a small Vermont town, Marty K holds forth in her summer acting class, populated by a flirty former actress, a pouty 16-year old, a recently divorced carpenter and Marty's hippie husband. The theatre “games” she devises for them are funny, imaginative and sometimes absurd, but the real drama lies beneath the games—where secrets come to light in unexpected ways.
 

Marin Hinkle and Linda Gehringer in
Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker.
Photo by Scott Brinegar/SCR.

The actors in this play are wonderful. Linda Gehringer as Marty is perfect as the teacher, especially in the way she says "OK" at the end of an exercise. Brian Kerwin as James, Marty's husband, is real and down to earth.  Arye Gross as Shultz, the recently divorced carpenter, is wonderfully earnest, awkward and shy. (On a tangent, I also recently saw Gross in an episode of Lie To Me - "Hey, I just saw him in that play last weekend!") Marin Hinkle as Theresa, the flirty former actress, is fun to watch, with just the right touch of "showing off". Lily Holleman as Lauren, the pouty 16-year old, also plays her part perfectly and with complexity.

Brian Kerwin, Lily Holleman (back)

and Linda Gehringer in 

Circle Mirror Transformation 

by Annie Baker. 

Photo by Scott Brinegar/SCR.

Lily Holleman and Marin Hinkle in
Circle Mirror Transformation
by Annie Baker.
Photo by Scott Brinegar/SCR.

I also love the set design. It looks exactly like any school or community center exercise/dance studio.

I brought my Mom with me to see the play, and her reaction to the play was, "It's just like every acting class you've ever taken and described to me." I agree.

(l. to r.) Linda Gehringer, Marin Hinkle, Brian Kerwin,
Lily Holleman and Arye Gross in
Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker.
Photo by Ben Horak/SCR.

Now Playing at South Coast Repertory
With performances every night through January 30, 2011

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