Set in a senior living facility, David Lindsay-Abaire’s play comes to life in an intimate, well-done production
The roaring whoosh of falling through space and images of the landscape flying past make for an unforgettably immersive experience in the Springs Ensemble Theatre’s (SET) new production of Ripcord,
The 2016 comedy by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, Ripcord follows the conflict between two aging female residents of Bristol Place, a senior living facility. Abby Binder wields sarcasm to take out her life’s disappointments on anyone and everyone, while Marilyn Dunne, newly assigned to share a room with Abby, is determined to see the positive side of everything, even Abby.
Abby is adamantly opposed to having a roommate and marshals all her rudeness to get rid of Marilyn. Marilyn may be relentlessly upbeat but she’s no pushover and she’s got a mischievous streak.
The two women make a bet: Either Marilyn will scare Abby or Abby will make Marilyn angry. Whoever wins determines if Marilyn stays or goes.
Melissa Hoffman and Autumn Schindler in ‘Ripcord’ | Photo: Kate Hertz, Springs Ensemble Theatre
Funny and touching
Over the course of two funny, occasionally touching, hours, the women spar with and trick each other. Marilyn, supposedly the nice one, turns out to pose the most challenging tests: dragging Abby through a spooky haunted house and then on a skydiving adventure.
Members of the women’s families and the resident aide, Scotty, are drawn into their conflict.
As Abby, Melissa Hoffman is an excellent grump. She delivers Abby’s putdowns directly and unapologetically. Hoffman’s Abby isn’t hostile, even when she’s insulting. She’s just stating the facts, just calling bullshit on blue-skies optimism.
Barbara Summerville, as Marilyn, makes a good contrast. Her Marilyn is elegantly upbeat, a gracious hostess who overlooks her guest’s bad manners — although of course, she’s the guest in the room.
To save his professional sanity, Scotty (Nate Woodroof) has made his peace with Abby’s cantankerous personality. By resolutely never taking her abuse personally, he maintains an unflappable bedside manner — and he does care for her.
Woodroof adeptly embodies Scotty’s hard-fought balance and is particularly good at portraying the character’s occasional embarrassment without fussiness. He lets his face and sometimes hesitant delivery do the work.
The cast is rounded out with fine work from Patrick Rogers, Autumn Schindler and Cody Van Hooser. Each tackle multiple roles effectively and to good comic effect.
Small stage, sound production
Directors Adam Stepan and Gavin White set a brisk pace. As with other SET productions, the directors occasionally move the action out into the audience which expands the small stage and gives a sense of immediacy to the performance.
Ripcord makes big demands on the Fifty-Niner Speakeasy’s small stage but the directors, set designer and lighting and sound designer are up to the task. Beds do double duty as the electric chair in the haunted house or park bench seating, for example.
The skydiving scene exemplifies the wizardry of Kyle LaBoria’s sound and lighting design. The roar of leaf blowers coming up through vents in the theatre floor conveys the ferocity of the upper atmosphere the characters dive into. Strobe lighting and the explosive sounds of an executioner repeatedly throwing a switch transmit the terror of the haunted house.
With Ripcord, SET reaches a high standard of performance and production. The company brings their 14th season to an end with an evening of fast-paced hilarity.
Leave A Comment