Attending the production of “Sympathetic Magic” at Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill is as close as you can get to attending the world premiere of a 26-year old play. That’s because the play is rarely produced.
This production, which runs through Sunday, makes the case that it deserves better. Oddly, it also makes it understandable why producers avoid it.
Start with the size of the cast. It has eight characters, which in today’s world is a giant number for a drama. Congratulations to Bridge Street Theatre for putting their resources on the line and offering the community an opportunity to experience what could arguably be called one of Wilson’s finer plays.
There’s certainly no argument that “Sympathetic Magic” is one of Wilson’s more ambitious works, as it tackles profound issues and is filled with complex characters.
In fact, though never incomprehensible, it sometimes feels too complex or vague. It’s impossible to feel you totally comprehend the playwright’s full intentions. This leads to a sense there is a lack of completeness to the experience.
On the positive side, it encourages thought long after the performance is over.
The acting is mostly excellent and John Sowle’s direction and set design makes a choppy work flow smoothly. There are more than a few delights in this superior production of a compelling play that asks the question, “If the universe cannot be predicted, what should we expect from human behavior?”
“Sympathetic Magic,” explores the state of evolution that artists, people of science and spiritual leaders find themselves in.
For Wilson the artist is the person who expresses and defines the value of accumulated knowledge. The scientist is the explorer who uses past knowledge to predict the future. The spiritual try to find continuity and rely on superstitions that seem to be ingrained in the human psyche.
Categorizing the characters gives you some idea of the range of Wilson’s vision. Ian is a young, dynamic astrophysicist who, with fellow scientist, a lovelorn Mickey, have just made a breakthrough discovery at the edge of the universe.
Ian’s girlfriend Barbara is a sculptress who is about to become famous. Her half-brother Don is a gay Episcopal priest who serves the poor and wants to create a hospice for victims of AIDS. His ex-lover Pauly is a flamboyant choirmaster orchestrating a group of individuals with AIDS.
Liz, the formidable mother of Barbara and Don, is a former anthropologist who studied African tribes. Though old, ill and feisty, Liz is now trying to relate African tribal behavior to California street gangs.
Carl Conklin White is the smug boss who is more interested in attention for the college than he is in scientific accuracy. Last, but not least is Sue, Liz’s attractive assistant and a possible love interest for others in the play.
“Sympathetic Magic” is a marvelously literate work about talented, brilliant people who are still learning who they are. As the title indicates, we often learn that we aren’t who we think we are.
Indeed, What gives the play its heft is sometimes the characters discover they are capable of being people they don’t want to be. It is filled with the conflict that comes when individuals have their views about what they knew or believed questioned. That’s as relevent today as it was when written in 1997.
Lanford Wilson was a brilliant playwright and “Sympathetic Magic,” though not a masterpiece, is a tribute to his genius. It continues in Catskill at the Bridge Street Theatre until Sunday. For ticket and schedule information go to bridgest.org
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
