The Desire for Personal Connection (Pandora Productions)
- stagedoorlouisville
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Six Degrees of Separation Written by John Guare Directed by Gil Reyes Review by Lan Nguyen-Colgate
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Six Degrees of Separation is a multilayered dark comedy written by John Guare. It opens up in the living room of wealthy, privileged, white couple Flan and Ouisa Kittredge. Flan and Ouisa are trying to convince art dealer, Geoffrey Miller, to give them the money they need to purchase a painting. In stumbles, a young, black man who is injured, claiming to be a college friend of the Kittredges’ children. He tells them his name is Paul Poitier, and he’s the son of famed actor Sidney Poitier. Flan, Ouisa, and Geoffrey are equally charmed by Paul. He is warmly invited to stay and is doted upon, until a scandalous encounter in the Kittredges’ home leads him to flee. They soon learn they are one of the many “victims” of a similar con situation involving Paul.
The majority of the scenes are set within the Kittredges’ living room which boasts a mid century modern feel. Everything in the room is saturated with color– a rush of orange, yellow, and blue, from the floor to furniture. A large, colorful painting by artist Vasily Kadinsky is a focal piece on the center wall. The painting highlights the dual themes of truth and artifice.
This play could easily be dark, but under the direction of Gil Reyes, the humor and absurdity
come out. While the characters talk almost non-stop for 90 minutes, their tones and pacing are balanced; tightly reined when they could easily become erratic.They address the audience frequently. Christopher Mirto and Sarah East as Flan and Ouisa do a fantastic job maintaining an upbeat, zippy vibe and play well off each other. Above all, it is Malik Banes as Paul who captivates his fellow actors and audience members. With the perfect amount of warmth, sincerity, and playfulness, he is able to draw everyone’s attention to him and commands the focus of the room.
Paul’s con exposes the couple’s obvious racism and classism; it is both hilarious and
astounding how it works so easily. At the same time, it also shows a deep desire for personalconnection–especially for Ouisa and Paul. It’s a pattern that appears in all the other cons. As Paul picks up personal facts, he uses them to make up stories to share as he continues to meet new people. He shifts from charismatic con artist to a tragic figure who craves a genuine relationship. Towards the end of the play, Ouisa delivers a poignant soliloquy to the audience about how everyone is separated by only six degrees. It’s an earnest moment of reflection and amazement.
Six Degrees of Separation deftly explores the intersections of community. The character's lives all become intertwined with another through race, sexuality, and privilege. One realizes how little separates one person from another. Pandora Productions has created a production about connections, genuine or fake, and how those connections can have ripple effects, creating lasting impact, perhaps even an unforgettable experience.
Six Degrees of Separation Pandora Productions
March 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 at 7:30pm March 8, 14, 22 at 2:30pm March 15 at 5:30pm
Henry Clay Theatre
604 S 3rd St
Louisville, KY 40202