REBECCA HALE
Reverb Editor
“Balm in Gilead” opened this past weekend in a theatrical spectacle. Directed by Dr. James Ivey, this modern version of Lanford Wilson’s play included many different and interesting facets which contributed to the show’s uniqueness.
The name of the play comes from a biblical verse in the book of Jeremiah. In Gilead, there was a certain type of tree that residents would extract a substance from and then turn into a balm to soothe illnesses. So, in turn, the title references the “balm” that each character is searching for in order to ease his or her larger life issues.
The Department of Theatre and Dance went gung-ho in its transformation of Bartlett Theatre. The walls outside the theatre were covered in chalk graffiti, giving the audience a taste of the tone before they even set foot inside Bartlett. Inside, the chairs were all mismatched, and some audience members even sat in couches and benches.
The set, designed by Chad Healy, was impressive and included kitchen appliances such as a stove, as well as a real jukebox. As the play takes place in a run-down café, the set has a circular bar with stools and a kitchen behind, as well as tables and chairs and even booths on the sides.
Lighting was also well-done, even with the obstacle of a set that covered most of the ceiling lights. Evan Kicman utilized lights on the sides of the stage, as well as some streamed through holes and windows in the café ceiling.
The set also had a crane-like bar that swung around to different places onstage, which had a microphone attached to the end of it. This allowed for characters to deliver monologues from different areas of the café.
The style of the play was very chaotic, and at many points during the play, characters all around the café were speaking, singing or yelling simultaneously. It was difficult to listen during these times, which is where the microphone came in handy. The character whose dialogue was the most important would speak into the microphone, so that the audience knew to listen to that character. The overlapping dialogue was interesting, as well, because someone sitting house-left would get a completely different experience than someone sitting house-right.
The play was also staged in a way that stressed time, and made the café feel anxious and rushed. The stage would be bustling with activity, and all of a sudden, the sound of a clock-tower bell was heard, and everyone would freeze or exit the stage.
The acting was also supplemented by a quartet of singers who occasionally meandered through the theater, singing a variety of different genres of music, a capella.
In addition to the singing, there were a lot of monologues that the characters delivered into the microphone on the boom. During these monologues, the lights would dim and center on that character. These monologues helped the characters to better develop themselves to the audience and showcased each character’s individual struggle.
One important scene was actually acted out three times in a row for emphasis. The scene would unfold, and then the lights would go out and the actors returned to their places to replay the scene.
Though “Balm in Gilead” is a heavy play, the actors did a good job of providing ample comic relief, even with the darkness of the humor.
Even though it is an unconventional play, “Balm in Gilead” is still an enjoyable performance. The characters, including prostitutes, drug dealers and drug addicts, may not be traditional protagonist figures, but these are the qualities that make “Balm” unique. “Balm” shows its audience that we are all the same — we are all just people struggling through life to find our own balm.
“Balm in Gilead” will resume March 5 – 6 at 7:30 p.m. and March 7 at 2 p.m. in Bartlett Theatre.