PLAY REVIEW :"Miracle Worker" Sees Clearly

In Miracle Worker, The Driftwood Players have created a show to experience.

Temper tantrums and wounded hearts, buttressed by brilliant technical design, collaborate to great effect in Gibson's play. 

Miracle Worker chronicles Helen Keller's famed struggles to communicate through her blind and deaf muteness, and teacher Annie Sullivan's heroic struggles to get her there.

Center stage is Sarah Dennis, playing Keller. Dennis displayed mighty powers of concentration in her performance. 

She so preternaturally captured the plight of the furiously restricted that one is left wondering whether she is, in real life, deaf and blind. 

That is, until this precocious twelve year old bounces out to the curtain call.

Emily Kight's Annie Sullivan communicated passion and pain in a standout performance. Indeed, she wonderfully reminds us that, just as Keller had her struggles, so did her teacher. 

Much of the playwright's humor comes through Sullivan's wry wit, which is at times pique, others bitter, and still others self-deprecatory.  I only wished that Kight had employed a richer range of expression in carrying that.

Some of the performance's most endearing moments came expressly through the close teamwork demonstrated by these two adept actors.

Of note, too, is Nicholas Smit's Jimmy.  His ability to hold the stage, despite his youth, and his sweetness of temper were evident. I only regretted that, at times, he didn't explore his character's wounded bitterness more fully. 

Nevertheless, Smit clearly has a flourishing stage career ahead of him.

The cast is rounded out by strong performances, even during walk-on roles.  Not least, it includes a couple of gaggles of absolutely darling children.

Theresa Thuman's direction displays great dexterity.  Her light touch carried the audience through a wide variety of locales in this demanding script. 

The pacing of the performance largely skipped along, particularly in the closing acts. When it lagged, regrettably, it was often evident that the actors were still coming to grips with their demanding stage combat.

I admired most Thuman's seemingly effortless ability to create the genteel rhythms of late 18th century southern aristocracy, with its echoes of ante-bellum stateliness. 

Kevin Johnson's asymmetrical set design is brilliant.  His ingenious use of space, endowed with several clever contrivances were a delight to behold.  Prepare to be charmed.

Syrinda Sharpe's lighting design is artistically enchanting.  The Wade James theatre is rich in instruments and she stretched them to their limit.  I only wished for more subtlety in her painting of Annie's moments of torment.

A period piece is ever a challenge for costume designers.  Aside from a couple of awkward trouser hems and the poor fit of Jimmy's first vest, Meagan McDonald's design astounds.  It is eye-popping in a myriad of ways.  Her attention to detail was manifest.

Sheldon Soule's sound design sweetly frames the entire production.

Lastly, a nod to show producer Joanne Branch for assembling such a talented creative team.

Driftwood's Miracle Worker is a show you will want to catch. 

The play runs through February 20th.  Tickets are available at 425.774.9600.  More information is available at Driftwoodplayers.com.