by Alan Jozwiak
In The Velocity of Autumn at Liberty Exhibition Hall, Cleveland playwright Eric Coble’s starting point is whether or not his main character would burn her house down as a protest against moving into a senior living center. (When my mom was first diagnosed with memory loss, there were a lot of things that worried me about her, but that was not one!) Dale Hodges portrays the 79-year-old painter vowing to set her Brooklyn brownstone ablaze. Kevin Crowley plays her estranged son Christopher who tries to talk his mother out of her plans.
Production Team
In this wonderful exploration of coming to grips with one’s past and future, Coble crafts a rich 90-minute play which satisfies on so many different levels. Director Cathy Springfield (past LCT president) assembles a talented cast and production team to produce a believable and engaging set within which this dramedy can unfold. Great efforts by Set Designer Naz and Stuart Wheaton. It feels like a packed Brownstone house where the accumulated treasures of the years have made it cluttered, but cozy.
Springfield also makes the move to strip away the hippie trappings of these characters that were part of the Broadway production with Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella and let the actors find themselves within the roles. What emerges is a more authentic examination of the characters and the situation they find themselves in.
Cincinnati Veteran Actors in The Velocity of Autumn
Part of the joy of this production is seeing two Cincinnati veterans tackle this difficult subject matter. Dale Hodges delivers a believable Alexandra, who alternates between periods of despondency, wistful nostalgia, and righteous indignation.
Hodges is also able to showcase her comedic chops by delivering some great laughs. Added to this fact that the role of Alexandra has the lion-share of the lines within this play, this makes for a tour de force performance by Hodges.
I think my favorite moment is Alexandra recounting running through the Guggenheim with a young Christopher. The naughty sense of joy in running up the curved ramp which is part of the museum’s spiral construction is a perfect metaphor for these characters looking forward and back at the same time.
Matching Hodges is Kevin Crowley as Christopher. Crowley plays Christopher as someone who is uncomfortable in being where he is at in life and is seeking something else. Crowley plays Christopher like an Everyman who also has an artistic bent. It adds more relatability to his performance.
My favorite moments for Christopher are the way that he enters the stage, as well as the ending of the play where he holds Alexandra by the hand. I can’t reveal the context of that last scene for fear of spoilers, but it is a touching way to depict the two characters having a meeting of the minds.
Overall
The Velocity of Autumn is a great evening of theatre done by two ace actors who bring a lot to their respective roles. It is also a rare chance to see the work of Eric Coble, a great regional playwright whose works have not been performed in Cincinnati as much as they should be. Kudos to this production in correcting that oversight.
Get Tickets to this Limited Run of The Velocity of Autumn
The Velocity of Autumn only runs for six performances, so I expect sell-outs for the second weekend of their run. It is being staged in Liberty Exhibition Hall, 3938 Spring Grove Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45223. The way to reserve tickets is to call to make a reservation with the production’s box office person Patrick Wellage at 513-607-1830.
