Cadence Theater Company | Oleanna

Oleanna by David Mamet
Cadence Theatre Company
...at Richmond Triangle Players
October 28-November 6
Directed by Anna Senechal Johnson
Starring David Bridgewater and Molly Hood


It’s bittersweet that praise gets out so late in the game, but even so I simply have to applaud the adept Molly Hood, the unsinkable David Bridgewater, and the creative team behind Cadence Theatre Company’s production of David Mamet’s Oleanna, an intriguing play featuring heavy currents of juxtaposition, authority, and liberal interpretations.

As I sat in the Richmond Triangle Players Theatre, the sometimes-home to Cadence, I observed a disappointingly sparse turnout. That small audience, however, was in for quite a treat. The two performers, under the skillful direction of Anna Johnson, navigated Mamet’s masterful words with outstanding commitment, whether a series of stuttered incomplete sentences drenched in subtext, or at other times complete, succinct thoughts that seemed to issue forth from raw animal places. Couple these two powerhouses with simple lighting and set pieces and a plain-but-clear playing space outlined in a painted tile floor, and the stage is set for a match of wits in which neither party leaves unscathed.
Speaking of leaving, I felt myself as a viewer being enrapt in the many efforts Ms. Hood made to leave the office space, wherein she had clear intention to go, but Mr. Bridgewater’s pedantic and sometimes imploring words continued to draw her back into the drama. Oleanna is a play that relies on a certain amount of tension, and this production surely delivers: Mamet’s tense babbling and word gymnastics are used to draw the audience in, while the subject matter causes viewers to sympathize (or not!) with both sides of the issue, and then to question why they do. Only at one point was I lost, and that point was when Ms. Hood’s final lines were uttered, and I was left to question, “What does that mean?” rather than “How do I feel about this?” I would not, though, be opposed to seeing the play one more time to find out!

Having been a Richmond audience member now for three years, I saw something afresh in this production that was revitalizing that I hope to see more of in this market: that an excellent play put in the hands of expert actors, under careful, sensitive direction is truly effective, and that sometimes, less really is more. As a truly satisfied audience member, I hope that more people will turn out to productions by this budding and promising company. To Cadence, I say, quoting Mr. Mamet: “That’s right. Yes. That’s right.”

Guest Review by Augustin J Corerro