The League of Cincinnati Theatres recommends The Whale, presented by Clifton Players now until October 26.
A one panelist describes it, “œCharlie is a very fat man stuck in his apartment, where all the action takes place. How he got to be 600 pounds and how he is living (and dying) because of it masks several layers of psychology, mental illness, religious terror, and, family dynamics. Oh yeah, it’s funny, too.“
“œJust like with A Bright New Boise, this playwright tackles issues of faith with such insight, depth, and curiosity,“ adds another panelist.
Panelists lauded lead actor Reggie Willis. One panelists said, “œReggie was superb! He WAS Charlie. His timing, delivery, tone, expressions were just right for every scene and situation. The strength of his acting was truly showcased in this piece because with the body suit on, sitting on the couch all he really had was his voice and his eyes — and he and the audience were all in!“
Also earning accolades are director Buz Davis and the special contributions of the costumer and makeup artist. “œYou feel the sweaty desperation of Charlie, trying to move his bulk to get at his laptop, food, drink. Mr. Davis allows the script (by Samuel D. Hunter) to breathe life into this whale of a man, as Charlie’s is losing his capacity to breathe. Prosthetic Designer Kelly Yurko and Suit designer Amy Hutto combine to transform actor Reggie Willis into a very believable fat man.“ Again, “œKudos to Buz for obviously taking time with each character so that they “knew” who they were. His blocking allowing the actors to find space in the space was extremely especially when they were all in the room.“
Contact www.cliftonperformancetheatre.com for tickets and additional information.
