Everyone knows the classic symbol for theater: Two separate masks, one weeping and one laughing. In their refusal to meld into one, they misleadingly suggest a theatrical work must either be a comedy or a tragedy.
The Tufts Drama and Dance Department's newest production, Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July," challenges and ultimately disproves the notion that a play cannot make its audience both laugh uproariously and feel great sorrow within a two hour time block.
"Fifth of July" takes eight characters with varying ties - some blood, some friendship and some they would rather sever - and throws them together for a tumultuous 21-hour time period. Brought together for a funeral of sorts, everyone reunites in the home of Ken Talley (played by freshman Jeff Beers), a Vietnam veteran who has been left with fiberglass legs as a result of his time served.
Although Talley is the only one who went to Vietnam, the rest of the characters were profoundly influenced by the war - so much so that ten years later they are still coping with its impact. In the brief time they spend together, emotions that have been brooding for years surface, leading to shouting, tension, tears and some of the most honest moments these people may ever have in their lives.
With only eight characters, all of whom are on stage for a good portion of the show, "Fifth of July" is a true ensemble piece. If the old saying that you really are only as good as your weakest link is true, then this cast is fortunate to have no places where their chain could be broken.
Although faced with deep, complex characters that have experienced much more than the average college thespian, each cast member rises to the occasion to develop and present a whole, multilayered person.
Jeff Beers convincingly captures the character of the handicapped Ken Talley. Junior Kasey Collins, in the role of Gwen Landis, shows great depth as she moves realistically between jokes and laughter to breakdowns. Sophomore Madeline Schussel excels at creating a lovable, if slightly crazy, Shirley Talley, and junior Brendan Shea is absolutely hysterical as the supposedly well-read but actually drugged-out Weston Hurley. Without the effective completion of these deep characters, the play would lack the intensity that it needs to successfully be translated from page to production. Indeed, all eight actors convincingly and entertainingly inhabit their multifaceted roles.
The acting is not the only noteworthy aspect of the show. The smartly designed set does an impressive 180-degree turn during intermission. Attention is paid to every detail, right down to the plant in the corner or that last pile of clutter.
The costumes also reflect the show's ubiquitous attention to detail. All of the outfits, even the shoes, are in keeping with the seventies time period. This accuracy helps to transport the audience 30 years back in time and create a whole distinct world on stage.
Of course, a magnificent cast and immaculate technical aspects are nothing without a script. "Fifth of July" is clearly written by a talented playwright. It is realistic yet still poignant; it never forces humor or drama on the audience, but instead allows those moments to happen in a natural fashion.
At some places the story slows to the point where it may lose the attention of some people in the audience. What ensues when the plot picks back up is a fair tradeoff for these few thumb-twiddling moments.
The humor, the drama and even the unhurried parts lend themselves to the play, reflecting real life in a condensed time period. The cast and crew embrace this reflection and use it to its full advantage to create a work that will make you laugh, sigh and really think about what happens after a big event winds down. The two masks of theater merge almost seamlessly into one to leave the audience impressed with what happened on the fifth of July.
