A perfect show
for live theater

MONMOUTH — Theather at Monmouth has staged a visually delightful production of “The Illusion.” It’s an unusual theatrical experiment by a 17th- century playwright presented in Tony Kushner’s “freely adapted” version from 1989. Kushner is a noted American playwright whose exquisite way with words gives this show a singular radiance. 

“The Illusion” serves as a commendable showcase for the Monmouth troupe’s talent. It’s an audience-pleasing mix of puzzling plot twists. The play’s occasional comic segments progress to a tragic-comic conclusion. It has an ending that some have seen as evocative of stories from Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” on early-1960s TV.
The play relates the story of an old lawyer who goes to a magician’s cave seeking news of a son he had driven from home 15 years before. He is shown three visions that offer variations of what happened to his son, leading the father … and the audience … into confusion and a surprise ending.
Two of TAM’s most popular veteran performers play key roles. Mark S. Cartier, 20 years with TAM, is Pridamant, the perplexed father, and Janis Stevens, 15-year- TAM veteran, is Alcandre, the sorceress who conjures action-filled scenes of the exiled son’s life. The pairing of Cartier and Stevens in “The Illusion” is a gratifying finale to TAM’s 2016 summer season.
Another popular actor with TAM is James Hoban (six years) who plays Matamore, a flamboyant character called both “a captain” and “a lunatic” in various cast listings. It’s a role that gives him free-rein for his special brand of broad comedy.
Three actors play the same characters in a trio of scenes shown to the father. They have different names in the scenes, and the situations they encounter are similar, but increasingly difficult for the father to watch.
Rob Glauz (first season) plays the estranged son. It’s a swashbuckling role that leads to encounters with rivals in each “illusion” in the cave. The rivals are well-played with increasing threat by Jake Loewenthal (first season). In their third encounter with flashing blades, the son kills the rival, and that action places his own life in jeopardy. The fight between dagger and rapier is fast and furious. It’s done under the direction of Leighton Samuels.
Erica Murphy (third season) is cast as the high-born maiden whose hand the son desires. Her maid, who herself has devious designs on the son, is very well played by Blythe Coons (first year).
Christopher Holt (first season) appears as the magician’s long-suffering servant who performs his dismal duties with a comical exasperation.
Davis Robinson, who directs this production of “The Illusion,“ says in his program notes that he believes this is a story about the power of forgiveness. “It is a story best told through the power of live theater,” he says. “Corneille used his mastery of the form to fully exploit the magical uses of the stage, a story that seems to be almost custom-made for Cumston Hall.”
The show’s impressive period costuming is by Stephanie Peters. Set design is by Jim Alexander; lighting design by Matthew Adelson; and sound design by Rew Tippin.
This adaptation of “The Illusion” was first staged when Kushner was working on “Angels in America,” his acclaimed play about AIDS in this country.
There is only one remaining performance of “The Illusion” in TAM’s repertory schedule. It is at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Cumston Hall, 796 Main St., Monmouth. For tickets, contact the TAM Box Office at 207-933-9999 or go online to www.theateratmonmouth.org.