In a Word: Stellar!

A Review by Lin McNulty

Tom Fiscus as Galileo Galilei, the Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution.

“The Life of Galileo,” a play by Bertolt Brecht and David Hare, opened on Thursday night at OffCenter. Opening night is sometimes a bit rough. Not this performance, however. Not these actors. Definitely not!

This, my first experience with theater-in-the-round was thrilling, the intimacy quite compelling. I felt involved in a way that just sitting in a normal audience does not provide.

Most of the actors play multiple roles. This can be confusing to an audience. This cast, however, pulled it off dazzlingly with not only some quick, clever costume changes, but with visibly differing physical characteristics for each of their roles, including Audra Goffeney’s adept portrayal of both a man and a woman.

Tom Fiscus, as Galileo, had an incredible line load. Phew! He met the challenge head-on and gives the audience a powerful performance worthy of any stage.

Elane Phipps makes her polished Orcas debut as Signora Sarti, the fretful, ever-faithful housekeeper who agonizes about her employer pursuing science contrary to the tenets of the Church.

Only a few of the highlights!

Audra Goffeney is no stranger to an Orcas stage and returned to the island at the right time to bring radiance and intensity to her roles as Galileo’s daughter and as a young monk.

Freddy Hinkle moved seamlessly through his portrayals of three different characters, bringing the audience to an emotional peak.

Frank Michels, Steve Henigson, Conrad Wrobel, Bob Littlewood, and Michael Armenia brought their various characters to life with a depth often missing in a supporting cast. Matthew Laslo-White and Christian Bailey are the “kids” in the cast, with many promising years ahead of them on stage.

Among the crucial characters in this play are the pictures projected behind the audience (don’t worry, you can see it from any seat), along with a seemingly-unlikely rock soundtrack. It masterfully completes the 360° experience.

Director Robert Hall should be mightily pleased with his cast. It’s obvious they worked long and hard to put this together.

Brilliant stars, all!

The play continues this Friday and Saturday, January 25-26, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 31-February 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15, $11/students, $13/members, and are available at the Orcas Center box office at 376-ACT1, or online at www.orcascenter.org.