Director Meredith Wagner leads her Smudge cast of three through a maze of reactions and emotions as they are confronted with the birth of a severely deformed baby — and it’s funny, sort of — especially when dad’s brother/co-worker Curran Jacobs appears, with an energetic volley of advice and “bro-talk”. Karen Vance and Greg Hunter are also strong and believable as the conflicted Mom and Dad.
At first Mom Karen seems reject this unexpected “smudge” of a baby, while Dad Greg falls in baby-love and is all coos and play-with-the-stuffed-carrot. Dad’s job stress over a big report at work for the Census Bureau (What kinds of life “count”?) leaves mom alone with the “smudge” and, perhaps out of loneliness, she begins to relate to her child.
The show asks more questions than it answers. The baby’s name is “Cassandra”. Does this have any reference to the Cassandra metaphor in Greek mythology where she is given the gift of prophecy along with the curse of not being believed? Is she just an unbelievable baby? The Director’s Note takes a stab at describing this “…acute emotional journey as they traverse the intricacies of communication and come to terms with how many different ways we can love and let go.”
As reported last night, the 8pm show Sense and Sensibility is wacky, mannered and WONderful, a but not short, so Smudge starts about 10:30. S&S ends tomorrow 6/16 ; Smudge plays tomorrow and also next Friday and Saturday after MY show, the funny, touching Significant Other, which promises to be shorter, for a probably 10 pm start to Smudge.) The adorable kids show Love and Other Junk has one more performance tomorrow (today?) Saturday at 6:30 pm.
More info at
http://theatre.msu.edu/productions/summer-circle-theatre