This need for a link between the physical and the sublime is at the heart of David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Proof," a comedy of ideas that uses the academic world of mathematics to explore the interplay of intellectual and emotional passion.
Celebrity performances from Gwyneth Paltrow and Anne Heche have attracted sold-out audiences to the play's New York and London stages, creating a buzz in the theater world. But PlayMakers Repertory Company's solid, touching production confirms that it is the strength of the play's writing and not its big-name status that has lead to its widespread acclaim.
"Proof" centers on Catherine, a young woman re-examining her life after the sudden death of her brilliant but schizophrenic father. Like him, Catherine harbors a passion for the beauty of mathematics and its ability to transcend the confines of reality. But after spending four years helping her father cope with his crippling instability, she doubts her academic promise because of her own tendency toward depression and dementia.
Christina Ross creates a compelling portrait of Catherine, which is no easy task. In a constant state of emotional and mental flux, Catherine's character is layered with ambiguity and nuance. It takes a seasoned actress to penetrate the fog surrounding her identity and to present a multidimensional, believable character.
Ross' tendency toward monotone is at times heavy-handed, masking the subtlety of Auburn's dialogue. But this lack of inflection also helps develop aspects of Catherine's personality, namely her wonderfully sardonic sense of humor.
As the academic Hal, Andy Paris also struggles with his vocal delivery. The rehearsed quality of his lines sometimes works, given Hal's burdening self-consciousness. But it also drags down his speeches, missing the spontaneity of conversation. Luckily, Paris compensates with Hal's physical characterization, adding vitality and humor to the stage.
Connan Morrissey excels as Catherine's sister, giving a fluid performance that rubs off on the other actors. Philip Davidson's portrayal of Catherine's father also is strong, despite stilted dialogue with Ross in the opening scene. The treatment of his madness is breathtaking in its honesty, allowing a degree of dignity to his volatile character that aligns him with Shakespeare's Lear.
PlayMakers puts together an inspired performance, rarely distracting the audience from the play's issues. Both acts end too abruptly, but the poetry and elegance of Catherine's proof saturates the entire stage, making PlayMakers' "Proof" a production not to be missed.
