Blood-curdling screams, deafening gunshots and a psychotic killer are all employed to show what happens when the American Dream goes terribly, horribly wrong in "Murder in Green Meadows."
The play, which opened this weekend as production No. 300 at Studio Arena Theater in downtown Buffalo, runs until Nov. 14.
"Totally absorbing, well staged and acted," said Rudy Bachman of Amherst. The audience drenched the theater in applause at intermission and the finale as well as between many of the later scenes.
The play, written by Douglas Post and directed by Gavin Cameron-Web explores the lives of four seemingly ordinary Americans living in the suburbs. As the characters' relationships evolve, however, it becomes clear that some of them are hiding mysterious and deadly secrets. The play progresses through a series of suspenseful and sometimes shocking twists and turns. This murder mystery contains everything from hilarious outbursts to frightening sound effects and eerily thrilling suspense.
The scenery for the play consists of a model suburban home done in light shades of pink. Four sequential pictures representing a bird in flight on one wall are hung precisely, and a spotless wooden floor supports perfectly placed, tan colored furniture. A cathedral ceiling with numerous skylights plus a hallway and doors gives the set a spacious feel that belies its necessarily small size.
The windows of the house are clear and behind them one can see depictions of other houses, presumably identical or nearly identical to the one the audience observes. These depictions are illuminated with different colors, or blacked out completely depending on the time of day in the play. The special effects, such as a very realistic thunderstorm, are startlingly real.
Actor Ian Lithgow plays Thomas Devereaux, homeowner and architect in the Green Meadows housing development. Lithgow portrays his character marvelously as a meticulous, demanding husband, eerily silent and self-motivated; he always puts his best foot forward to entertain company with his intentionally fake smile. Lithgow is a force on the stage and the mere folding of Devereaux's hands speaks volumes.
Additionally, some scenes are relayed through Lithgow as anecdotes of past events. He does this expertly, through gestures and a stare that lets the audience imagine he is really in the place being described.
Actress Lauren Bone, who plays Joan Devereaux, flows across the stage in bare feet as often as not and expressive emotion is always visible on her face. Her eyes in particular convey feeling as if channeling the very soul of her character. She plays a housewife who is emotionally dominated by Lithgow. She is made to feel insignificant in his presence and as a result must seek acceptance elsewhere. Her somewhat forgetful and na??ve nature enhances her character's malleability. Despite the fact that she has strong personal opinions of her own, her voice is repeatedly quelled.
Paul Todaro plays Jeffrey Symons, a friendly neighbor who is portrayed as a wise guy and a man's man; he fixes cars, cracks jokes and has a down-to-earth disposition. In effect, he is the exact opposite of the stern and silent character played by Lithgow. His character plays to the audience and his comical nervousness in particular makes him quickly likeable. At one point, Todaro lightens the mood by cracking a joke, making a silly face and sticking his tongue out towards the audience.
Last, but definitely not least is Kristen Kos, who plays Carolyn Symons, wife to Todaro's character. Kos portrays a stunningly inquisitive gossip; a strongly motivated, intelligent and determined modern woman who seems to lead the perfect life. Her voice is perhaps her best feature on stage. It carries across the theater, woven tight with commanding confidence and superiority.
The spectacularly engaging actors, the marvelously designed set, and the superbly calculated plot combine to provide exquisite, stunning entertainment.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
