Opus
Playmakers Repertory Company
4 of 5 stars
Playwright Michael Hollinger effectively created five distinct characters with his play “Opus” — PlayMakers Repertory Company’s first Mainstage production this year.
And the actors blew the audience away with their interpretations of these characters, bringing powerful emotional portrayals of real-life situations and relationships.
“Opus” captured the struggles of a string quartet preparing to perform one of the most esteemed pieces of music, Beethoven’s “Opus 131,” at the White House.
The cast realistically captured the artistry of what actual musicians look like performing, act like practicing and sound like arguing.
The music, which is played from a recording, added deeper meaning to the play and often helped progress the action with intros or outros to scenes.
Using a combination of monologues, full stage practices, flashbacks and two-person interactions, the play expressed the emotions and quirks of each character.
Performed on a sparse set, the play used mostly bare interiors with small touches or wardrobe changes to indicate the personalities of each character or venue.
The actors presented the play well, with the possible exception of the actress playing Grace.
True to the character that she portrayed, actress Marianne Miller seemed younger and more inexperienced than her colleagues.
But the little smirks, body movements and presence of all the actors made the audience feel as if they knew the characters personally.
The play began with three members of the original quartet deciding to hire a promising young girl, Grace, leaving the audience wondering who she was replacing and why.
The ousted member of the quartet, Dorian, also makes appearances throughout the play.
Ray Dooley, who played Dorian, had amazing animation in his facial expressions and movements, using the entire stage.
Overall, his portrayal of the eccentric, brilliant and “buggy” musician brought true conflict to the story.
The play kept the audience analyzing the quartet and wondering with anticipation how the conflict would resolve itself.
It challenged audiences to reevaluate what matters most to them.
Through the struggles, disagreements and sexual entanglements, the conflict of the play is powerfully resolved through its emotional conclusion that will still be with audience members long after the curtain falls.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
