Tolucan Times – Theatre Review by Faith Dickenson
Don’t Do the Crime at the Close-Up Theatre
Taking its inspiration from the original Vagabond Players established in 1928 in Paris, the LA company presents ...
.."Mother’s Day In The Holding Tank" by Sharyn Shipley (is) about four women thrown together in a most unusual circumstance.In this small hell hole is Rosalyn (Stephanie Carr), a "lady of the night" who is impatiently waiting for Fabian (yes Fabian) to come and bail her out. She is joined by Allison (Charlotte Ashton Proctor), our society lady who was innocently on her way to her dance class. Bonnie (Robin Navlyt), a runaway is also pacing in the holding cell and they are soon joined by Elizabeth (Catherine Michaels, the local wine-consumer.
Each woman relates her story to the other, why they’re there and how their lives led them to that point, while waiting to use the phone. The phones requires money to make a call to someone to bail you out of jail. Only Allison has money, naturally, and she refuses to share any of it. Rosalyn plays the game well and is able to work it so she can get Allison’s money so she can call Fabian. Once in control of the cash, she doesn’t allow others near the phone.
Elizabeth continually spouts life lessons as though they were popcorn-delicious, buttery and tasty. Her idea of being in jail? "It’s just like having a husband. It gives you a place to live, eat and do laundry". Her entire life if gauged by the laundry she has done. Bonnie laments. She ran away from home. She can’t call her father to get her out because he’ll just yell at her, but she has no other place to go and she’s only 14, actually soon to be 15.
Each woman in the cast perfectly portrayed their characters. Each character was distinct and well formed making each performance very well defined. They represent several walks of life that each of us can relate to.
...will make you sit up and think about things other than the rain and the plummeting stock market.