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The Pavilion Theatre has been transformed into a bar in the Bronx. “Savage in Limbo,” written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Sandra Hardy, opens this Friday at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through the weekend.
“When you have a show in the pavilion it calls on a very good ensemble because you can see everything, it’s much more intimate,” Hardy said.
Hardy said the play is a slice of lower middle class life from the ’80s.
“We’re bringing the Bronx to Northern Maine,” Hardy said. The place is personal to Hardy as she comes from New York City.
Shanely is an acclaimed playwright. He won the Pulitzer Prize for “Doubt,” in 2005 and wrote the screenplay for “Moonstruck” in 1987.
The show revolves around three thirty-something women, all of whom frequent this bar.The action of the play begins when Denise Savage, played by Emma Davis, comes in and immediately stirs things up. Mark, Edward Benson, is trying to run a bar while every character coming in the bar is hell-bent on trying to take it over without knowing.
“Every character is at a point in their life that they are lost and they don’t know how to break through,” said Benson.
Davis feels her character is dissatisfied with her life but she’s strong. “Every character is identifiable we are all people struggling who are trying to find themselves, that is our journey,” said Davis.
“We’re all in limbo, and what happens is savage,” Benson said. “We all tear each other apart and be savage to each other when we don’t know who we are or where we want to go.”
“Shanely can put his finger on the troubles his generation,” Hardy said. “My generation wasn’t as absolute as this generation. Marriage, for example, was the absolute for someone, now there are many more options for a young people that have become more socially acceptable.”
The play is for mature audiences. The language is frank and the show features discussions about sexuality.
The ensemble called for in “Savage in Limbo,” gives actors the opportunity to work off of each other in a more intense environment.
“I have actors that can do this play well,” Hardy said. “I’m optimistic. It is a tragedy with comedic aspects and one could consider the play to be a comedy with tragic aspects. One would have to be a good actor to balance the pain and humor which is in this show.”
The students acting in the show are also putting the play together offstage.
Gregory Middleton, who recently graduated from the University of Maine, plays Tony but also worked on carpentry for the set design. Christina Belknap, who plays Linda and is a third year theater and psychology student, worked on costume design for the show with Davis, who is graduating in May with a degree in abnormal/social psychology and theater.
“We had to do research on ’80s clothing and also had to buy clothes and track down items that would reflect the time period and characters.”
“It creates a bigger investment, gives students a taste of what professional theater is about,” Hardy said. “Most theater people do grunt work, meaning people love the process not so much the fame.”
According to students, working with Hardy is an informative and rewarding learning experience.
“Working with Sandra on a production teaches you more than any class could,” Davis said. “It’s intensive. You’re really focused and the atmosphere is really different than other shows.”
“She gets things out of you didn’t even know were possible. When it comes down to it she’s a great teacher and director. All of us are focused on getting done what we need to get done. It’s a creative atmosphere, as we’re discovering how to bring it together,” said Edward Benson who plays Mark the bartender.
“Savage in Limbo,” opens Thursday and runs nightly at 7:30 through Saturday. There is also a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
