STRONG CAST SHINES IN CRIME

13. September 2009 by admin.

STRONG CAST SHINES IN CRIME

F. J. Hartland 

           Reducing a long Russian novel down to size is no easy task…especially when that novel is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece Crime and Punishment.

            But with an adaptation by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus, brisk direction by Matthew Gray, and three powerful performers, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre has done just that.

            At the center of the novel is a crime (the gruesome ax murder of two elderly sisters).  The punishment comes when the murderer must confess to find atonement.

              Three actors (Joel Ripka, Larry John Myers and Susan Goodwillie) have the challenge of portraying the variety of characters in Crime and Punishment. 

           Myers is cool and eloquent as the intellectual police detective Porfiry.  Porify is trying to solve the case, but never resorts to any kind of brutality to get a confession.  Instead, he takes a psychological approach.  Myers lends a polite and quiet quality to the role.  He also excels later playing a boisterous drunk.

            Goodwillie portrays all the female characters, but primarily Sonia, the religious young woman forced into prostitution to pay her father’s debts.  She, too, brings a real strength to the role.  Also, Goodwillie does an excellent job delineating her other roles—such as the murder victim and Raskolnikov’s mother.

            As Raskolnikov, the poor student, Joel Ripka gives a dynamic performance that should be recognized when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chooses its performer-of-the-year.  Ripka goes through a broad range of emotions.  Sometimes he is the docile student, sometimes the mad philosopher, sometimes despondent denizen of the lower depths.  It is an electric performance, and Ripka radiates!

            The set by Gianna Downs is stark and simple—capturing the poverty of the characters, but also the bleakness of their existence.  Jim French’s lighting adds to the gloominess of Dostoevsky’s novel—and also does a great job defining scene changes.

            Crime and Punishment explores many themes and contains numerous images.  There are philosophical discussions of religion, society, right-and-wrong, psychology.  Director Matthew Gray keeps the action moving despite these cerebral questions.  And it amazing that such a long novel can be presented on stage in under ninety minutes.  Kudos to Pittsburgh and Irish Classical Theatre.

            If you’re looking for a light and frothy evening of entertainment, skip Crime and Punishment.

            But if you want to see a powerful production with outstanding performances, then don’t miss it!

            Crime and Punishment continues through October 3.

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