Review: good show, weak script

     I was worried going into “Sylvia” that the plot would be quite cliché. A new dog leads to relationship problems that will be worked out after a series of funny antics with some angst thrown in for good measure. And even though I was completely right, I thought “Sylvia” was a fun show with interesting characters, and very capable performances though unfortunately marred by a script with a weak ending.
    The plot is fairly straightforward, beginning when Greg (Scott Howard) brings home a stray mutt he finds in the park while skipping work. The dog, Sylvia (Maria Perez) and Greg’s wife Kate (Elisha Hodgin) have an immediate dislike for one another, and standard drama ensues.
    Howard and Hodgin play their parts well. Howard is suffering from a mid-life crisis and is dissatisfied with his job. Hodgin plays his hard-working wife who is glad the kids are finally out of the house so she can focus on her work. Both embody the roles well, though more often than not I found myself wondering how the characters were still married when the plot began. They seemed like an unlikely couple.
    Sylvia’s presentation was interesting, as Perez still looked very human, save the collar around her neck. Fortunately, she was very convincing in acting as an animal, including her boundless affection for the human characters and her distaste for sleeping on the floor. One of the finest moments of the night is when she saw a cat under a nearby car, and responds to it as many dogs would (except this time, we could understand it).
    Unfortunately for all the actors involved, the script gave the extras the more interesting dialogue and funny scenes. Guest characters such as family-friend Phyllis (Ryan Smith), fellow dog-walker Tom (Joshua Santamaria) and ambiguously-gendered marriage counselor Leslie (Nic Marrone, whose performance stole the show) had more personality in five minutes than the leads did for the entire show, and the best lines to boot.
    The performers and scenes were all well done, and the only problem I have with “Sylvia” is the weak ending. Considering all the characters have gone through and the decisions they have made leading up to the climax, the ending just seemed too safe, and seemed very out-of-character for all parties involved. It tied everything up too easily and neatly.
    Through it all, “Sylvia” was a very enjoyable show. I look forward to other shows from the GCSU theatre this semester.

Lee Sandow is a writer with no acting experience or coaching, who judges performances by how much he and the crowd around him seemed to enjoy the show.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 5 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry