Central’s Theatre Department presented “True West” in Davidson Hall’s Torp Theatre from March 26-30. The play was written in 1980 by Sam Shepard and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play in 2000. In this play, there are two brothers: Austin (Derick Lopez), a husband and writer who is house sitting for his mother (Katelyn Webster) while trying to write a screenplay, and Lee (Anthony Cosme), who doesn’t seem as stable as Austin, but somehow shows a storytelling talent that he might have by interrupting Austin and Hollywood producer Saul Kimmer’s (Matthew Riley) meeting. Central theatre major students performed this play and showcased their acting skills.
Performed in Davidson Hall’s Torp Theatre from March 26-30, the stage looked very similar to the kitchen I saw in the video in class, though not identical. The style was precise, detailed and somewhat antique, matching well with its time period. The wallpaper, table, typewriter, telephone, and plants gave it a very homey look. Since I had seen a recording of a performance produced by Digital Theatre in class, it had me comparing and contrasting, and I expected it to be the same way or similar, especially when it came to the acting part.
In the Central production, the actors appear younger, which is understandable since they are students. At the beginning, I can see the effort put in by the actors on stage, maybe trying too hard at the beginning for Lee. Lee didn’t seem to convince me as much as the actor in the video I saw in class, but as the play progressed, he did a terrific job. The same goes for Austin. Austin’s outfit at the beginning of the play differed slightly from the ones in the video with Lopez dressed more preppy.
The part where Lee is hitting the typewriter seems incredibly realistic, thanks to Cosme’s acting, attitude and tone. . In some ways, it gave me the same attitude that Lee showed in the video. Although Lee’s shirt did not look dirty at first, it became so afterward, which added to the effect. His violence in the play seemed very realistic, as was when Austin fell off the stool.
When Saul Kimmer arrives, his hair, clothing style and manner of speaking maintain a well-scripted version of Saul, despite being younger. When Lee barges in with a television, the fact that the television was an antique from that time was an exquisite detail.
In one of the scenes, as you hear the crickets or dogs barking outside, it was very intriguing, and when Austin was typing while Lee spoke, the light dimmed, slowly turning down, which went very well with the moment.
Austin’s actions became very erratic when he wasn’t happy about Lee taking over his script. He ends up drunk and comes in with a bunch of toasters that he had stolen. Lopez’s outstanding acting showed as Austin when he expressed his feelings while lying on the ground and singing while intoxicated. Additionally, the scene where Lee breaks the phone provided the audience with some realistic action, and the smell of bread from all the slices Austin put in the toaster was incredible. I could sense a genuine story unfolding in this play.
As they both sat on the floor, talking to each other and drinking, it seemed like a genuine conversation that brothers would have in real life after a disagreement, and then they ended up working things out, despite their differences.
Although the audience might seem confused at times, whether it’s daytime or nighttime, the performance effectively overcame this confusion. At first, I thought about how they would make this scene into a disaster; it all looks so lovely, but they did very well in making it a mess. It was funny and very well acted when Austin picked up the toast from the floor and gave it to Lee after it had fallen.
When the mom comes home unexpectedly her outfit and luggage were on point, and her reaction and manner of speaking are very similar to the mom in the video we saw in class, with slight differences. She performed very well overall, and even though she seemed concerned about the brothers, she maintained a calm demeanor, although she still showed a reaction to what was happening in front of her. She could have shown a little more reaction or attitude, but overall, she did very well. She managed well to speak like an older woman, although she is very young.
Excellent acting skills from the boys were once again evident during their altercation at the end. They presented it all in a way that didn’t look fake at all. The actors in this play knew they were acting upon a Broadway debut play and had to give it their all to maintain the excellence of “True West,” and with those familiar with it. And so did the people who set up the stage and everyone in the team who made this play happen. It is fair to say that they did not disappoint. The reputation this popular play has and can continue to maintain the good reputation it has had all these years through the actors in this play.
