Playwright Friedrich Durrenmatt once said, “A story is not finished, until it has taken the worst turn.” As I consider our current American story, one plagued by the panderers of Washington and Wall Street, I wonder if we’ve taken that turn. Things are bad and seem to be getting worse.
That’s not the case, however, at Hibbing Community College where their theatre production of Durrenmatt’s “The Visit”-a play that won the Swiss dramatist international acclaim-may be one of the best shows Director Michael Ricci has staged to date. Although the play was written fifty-two years ago and set in a once-thriving-but-now-impoverished European place, Ricci’s production is topical, gripping and delivers a powerful dose of drama that strikes, oh, so close to home; yet, at the same time, this tragic play has a comic edge that makes us laugh at the absurdity of our human condition. Through the art of the theatre, Ricci and his HCC production team deftly hold the proverbial mirror up to nature, reflecting images that force us to take an honest look at ourselves, with the hope that we will learn from the mistakes of the past, value accountability, and not lose our goodness.
The premise of this odd love story involves a visit back home by a wealthy woman (played by Suzanne Dustrude Starr) who forty years ago suffered an injustice at the hands of one Anton Shill (Joe Galatz), and now wants to offer the town salvation from its poverty and debt by exacting a condition, the life of her former lover. Both Starr and Galatz-she, in her colorful and eccentric obsessions; he, in his bland earnestness and growing paranoia-offer skilled performances that lend credibility and pathos to these characters.
And, though most of the ensemble worked well together to create believable characterizations, a few notable performances stood out among the others: Zach Morgan and Marty Rice, along with Steven Zubich and Leland Brenholt, showed accomplished finesse in their roles. I should also mention that the whole ensemble- though some of the younger, more inexperienced actors, have not learned the importance of diction and the fundamentals of voice on stage-worked well in the multiple roles assigned to each, along with the additional burden of carrying out some marvelous scene change choreography.
Finally, I salute Mr. Ricci and his production team for the kind of work that has earned the reputation of the “Flagship” of area theaters. It is a well-deserved tag. The community, the college and all of those involved in “The Visit” should be very proud of this small piece of theatre that carries such a profound message.
