Theater Review: The Appeal

by Shawn Parikh

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It is a quick and light show that stays entertaining because it is so clever and far-fetched.

I honestly was thinking that I was going to be in for a snorefest when I read that the show was about an evening with the English Romantic Poets (Dorothy Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Wordsworth, and Byron). I thought it was an odd choice for Undermain, but I didn’t research the play or playwright before going, so my judgments were premature.

But then as soon as I sat down and flipped through the program for The Appeal, I read that this new playwright, Young Jean Lee, asks herself, “What’s the last play in the world I would ever want to write?” Then she forces herself to write it because she believes to challenge an audience, she has to do things that make herself uncomfortable. Pretty neat idea for a writer.

So the show totally surpassed by expectations of being boring. Instead, it was a quick, light one hour and fifteen minute show (including intermission) that kept my interest because it was so clever and far-fetched from the way I imagined these poets. It is a satirical look into what happened when these poets got together and how their arrogance and narcissism clash. The lines that the characters uttered seemed to poke fun at themselves, and you could tell they were having fun performing. F-bombs kept being dropped, the actors had great line delivery, and there was a great element of absurdism that was thrown in.

The best absurdist aspect was the sound design and composition by Bruce DuBose. It fused this obsolete “medieval” music with heavy rock/electronica beats. It is the aspect that I still remember after seeing the play because of how brilliantly juxtaposed the sound was to the time and propriety of characters.

The direction and actors add the ideal touch of campiness and comedy to keep the show entertaining. The two actors playing the Wordsworth siblings, Shelby Davenport and Shannon Kearns-Simmons, do have the most time on stage and really commit to blending the romantic characters to bizarre dialogue. The other two actors, Kent Williams and Todd Haberkon, do a great job in this a well, but it is really how the ensemble plays of each other that makes the play so fun.

The show lasts until May 19 and tickets can be purchased online or by calling 214-747-5515. To view full event details, click here: The Appeal.