Theater Online - New York Theater Reviews

 “When you let a play go, you also take the risk that it will take on associations for people that you didn’t intend and can’t account for.  That risk is the prerogative of art, however, and of the theater in particular.  The theater affects us more directly, and unpredictably, than any of the other arts, because the actors are right there in front of us, creating something new every night. ‘Unexpected and inevitable.’ Which makes it all worth the risk”

David Auburn except from the Los Angeles Times, June 4^th, 2002

Playing for a limited engagement, Center Stage Theater, NY hosts David Auburn’s, “Proof” with directorial debut by Elias Buehler.  Set on the back porch of a non-descript Chicago residence, a young woman named Catherine balances somewhere between genius and insanity, while starting to come to terms with the people and relationships in her life.

As a directorial first, I have to compliment Mr. Buehler on the production overall.  Though no single element “wowed” the audience, “Proof” was solid and entertaining- which is more than I can say for productions by even seasoned directors.  Admittedly, there was some confusion in the stage blocking –several times during the play actors would face each other in parallel, obscuring part of the action, or in other instances upstaging one another altogether– which I’m surprised wasn’t worked out during rehearsal or subsequently made by the actors themselves.

Acting-wise, Tom Lacey (Hal) and Jessica DiSalvo (Claire) stood out in their performances.  As Hal, Mr. Lacey effectively conveyed a socially awkward, attractive, young mathematician at two different ages and levels of maturity.  Contrastingly, Ms. DiSalvo truly developed Claire’s role and presented a believable older sister character.  Onstage, Jessica was quick, witty, and largely entertaining.  A nod must go to Jennifer Armour as well for her performance as Proof’s lead character, Catherine; carrying the bulk of the play, my main critique would be Armour’s lack of consistency/commitment to her character and the amount of time it took in the beginning for us as an audience to witness her onstage emergence as “Catherine”.

Though not mentioned in Elias Buehler’s company, whoever provided the costume design should be recognized for their contribution to the play.  Selecting everyday articles of clothing can often be ‘hit or miss’ for a production and in this case it was a hit.  The ensembles worked well for the individuals onstage and helped everyone heighten their portrayal of each character.  Conversely, the stage and lighting designs did not turn out as well as their costume equivalent.  The lighting choices were too simplistic, often leaving the actors in darkness or creating a washout over the stage; other times it felt as it lights simply went “on” or “off”, doing little to help the audience interpret time or enhance the play.  While I appreciate a minimalistic set, it didn’t appear Edward Morris’ concept was completely developed.  Transitioning from one scene to the next the “porch” setup completely lost its continuity; the “fourth wall” was broken, diminishing the scene’s integrity and our believability in the play.

All criticism withstanding I still found the play enjoyable.  Buehler was smart in his selection and with the help everyone involved managed to produce what looked like a successful production.