Director Jeff Croff has assembled a commendable family of actors to inhabit Nathan Louis Jackson’s script. Sonia King is the beloved wife/mother with dreams of a better future. After the prologue, we realize she is gone. Time has passed - and widower William, powerful, even in his increasing weakness/infirmity is well played by theatrical patriarch Bruce Rico Wade.
Son Ennis (Daniel Bonner of Riverwalk’s “Superior Donuts” fame) has a low-paying job a baby on the way, and an entertaining style and repartee with his home-from-college brother Malcom (Lekeathon Wilson. Glad to see him continuing after his theatre debut in The Downeaster’s "Laramie Project”.) Malcom is torn between his family and a promising future in Connecticut.
Despite the “downers” of “broke-ology” - the stresses of being broke, conflicting duties and allegiances, this is a fun and entertaining show. I particularly enjoyed Rico’s scenes with the stolen garden gnome, “Chauncey.”
Ixion has re-imagined and redesigned the usual Robin Theatre to an “in the round” setup, with a couple rows of audience seats up on what is usually the “stage” - a great vantage point. Despite a few lighting challenges, this setup is a notable improvement, giving more room for actors and a realistic living-room/kitchen set, and better/closer viewing by the audience as well.
Broke-ology continues at 2pm tomorrow, Sunday, and next weekend 8pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday at the Robin Theatre 1105 S. Washington in Reo Town.
Tickets are $15 at the door and are available via Eventbrite.com prior to the show. For more information call 517.775.4246, email ixionensemble@gmail.com or visit online via facebook or ixiontheatre.com.