In an ever-changing world where definition of family has broadened, Ken Duncum has written a topical play about gay parents and surrogacy. Cherish premiered in New Zealand and made its U.S. debut with Nicu’s Spoon. The question of having children is a big deal. How does a surrogate mother keep her end of the bargain to hand over to a gay couple the baby she has been carrying? This is the central dilemma of Duncum’s very good drama.
Two couples, one gay and one lesbian,
are old friends. Tom (Alvaro Sena) has given his seed to Jess (Jessica
Lions) on one occasion and to her partner, Maeve (Rebecca Challis),
on another. The lesbian couple is raising Tom’s two daughters. Now Tom has
impregnated Jess again, this time with the arrangement that he and his partner,
William (Jeffrey Danneman), will raise the newest member of the family.
The two families live near by and plan on remaining integrated into each
other’s lives. All sounds ideal until Jess has second thoughts and can no
longer imagine turning her new baby over to the gay couple. Thus the drama is
launched as the two couples go into crisis between lovers and friendships. The
premise is excellent for delving into character and the dynamics of
untraditional relationships, while educating us on the legalities and problems
of such a modern arrangement.
The play is episodic, comprising many
short scenes. Oftentimes the scenes came to an abrupt end without cliffhanger
or conclusion -- the lights simply turn out to signify a scene’s end. Set
designer Michael Kurtz might have come up with a more generalized
unit-set idea that didn’t require the lengthy interruptions between scenes,
allowing director June Stein to have facilitated a smoother flow and pace. This
problem also comes from the play itself and it is unfortunate, for otherwise it
is a play with a lot of good dramatic tension.
The cast showed a strong commitment
and were one and all believable throughout. Alvaro Sena in particular added a
degree of charm to the ensemble with his warm voice and genuine friendliness,
speaking with accented musicality and connecting to each of the other actors in
a personalized way. Another actor in the role might have reduced the character
to a shallow man-child, but Sena gave Tom a dignity and sincerity that were
utterly winning.
Overall, the direction by June Stein
focused on character, which was handled with care and priority. Lighting, by Steven
Wolf, was basic, but included a slideshow design between scenes by S.
Barton-Farcus. Costumes were a group effort, and the results suited the
occasion. The play is not easy-going, and the few jokes fell flat. However, the
subject was handled intelligently, and the cast gave the play a strong
performance. The noble Nicu’s Spoon continue to present thought-provoking work
for the stage.
Writing: 1
Directing: 1
Acting: 2
Set: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
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Copyright 2006 Michael D. Jackson