Strange Snow, Stephen Metcalfe's disturbing tale of two young Vietnam veterans and their harrowing readjustment to civilian life, was given a provocative revival by Piccolo Productions. Under director Melanie Martin Long, this impeccably trained ensemble bravely exposed the raw anger and isolation suffered by veterans and their loved ones.
In Strange Snow, David, once a popular high-school athlete with a promising future, is devastated by his battlefield injuries and by the death of his friend Bobby. After returning from the war, he takes a job as a truck driver and struggles with depression and alcoholism while living with his younger sister Martha, a lovely but shy high-school biology teacher who is as lonely as David. David's friend Megs, a likable redneck, found the war an outlet for his own violent emotions, although he too suffers guilt over Bobby's death. Upon returning from Vietnam, Megs tries to rebuild his life, becoming an auto mechanic and opening his own business. David and Megs reunite for a fishing trip, and Megs and Martha and fall in love. David fears losing Martha, and does everything he can to discourage the romance. The shy Martha blossoms with Megs's attention, and David goes on a destructive rampage, leaving Megs and Martha to seriously consider the ramifications of their relationship.
Michael Bonsignore's Megs held an irresistible combination
of boyish charm and unpredictable violence. As David, P.J.
Marshall revealed his character's vulnerability and profound
disillusionment. Flo Young's emotionally fragile yet resolutely
earthbound Martha was remarkable.
The play's production values were almost up to the performance
caliber, with Troy Hourie's wonderfully frayed middle-American
decor, Randy Glickman's flattering light design, and Melissa
Schlactmeyer's appropriate costumes. Sam Tresler's
choice of 1970s music was fun and funky, though a greater variety
of protest songs would have made it just about perfect.
Box Score:
Writing: 2
Directing: 2
Acting: 2
Sets: 2
Costumes: 2
Lighting 2/Sound: 1
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Copyright 2001 Adrienne Onofri