The 2001 Fringe Review Rag #7

"More" All in the Timing
by David Ives
Repertory Actors Theatre

"Playwright David Ives LOVES LANGUAGE. He captivates us with its imprecision, its duplicity, and its enticing promise of real connection. These eight sketches are cleverly conceived: An academic dissects the elements of a causal conversation to find the obligatory conventions (and unspeakable hopes) that lie beneath. A gloriously goofy nonsense language liberates a stuttering woman into eloquence. The "Don Juan" of miniature golf loses his swing when a lady partner won't parlez vous his fore play. Director David Hsieh wisely intersperses light-hearted dance numbers between each sketch, to give our ears a rest. While the ensemble clips through the material, several pieces are far too long, dragging Ives' ingenious concepts out past their natural life span. At times the performances have a forced brightness that doesn't ring true. Bright shirts and smiles cavort a bit too easily across moments of jubilation and quiet devastation. I can't help but wish there were a few more wind ows into the poignant power of Ives' words." -Beth Amsbary