Norah Sweeney Villanueva, Leslie Patrick, Andy Baldwin
“If there’s one thing I learned from Martha Stewart, you do not poison the guest.”
Bright Ideas, Eric Coble’s dark comedy now playing at Ft. Worth’s Circle Theatre through November 20th, explores success-obsessed parenting, embracing a broad palette of characters in hyperbolic situations with occasional satirical nod to Macbeth. That pesky poison pesto just won’t wash off the hands of a scheming 20-something couple, whose murderous rationalizations predestine a manic destructive path. Merry’s a tonic tone. Farcical scenes of absurd behavior teeter totter in balance with darkest social commentary. Director Robin Armstrong guides her hyper-kinetic, well-matched cast almost over the top but focuses them tightly on telling the gory tale. Circle Theatre audiences leave cackling with delight.
Norah Sweeney Villanueva, John Venable, Andy Baldwin (in background)
Andy Baldwin and Norah Sweeney Villanueva excel as the morbid couple; Morgan McClure, John Venable and Leslie Patrick up the fun quotient. As published in Arts & Culture Magazine
In depth interview about the nature of dark comedy with actor/director Andy Baldwin:
http://thisweekinthearts.flowercast.net/2010/11/11/andy-baldwin-bright-ideas/
Photos by Glen E. Ellman
817.877.3040
criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield 