Based on Mitch Alboms best-selling nonfiction book, Tuesdays with Morrie explores the friendship of Albom, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor.
Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch had forgotten all about his college experience until he caught a random episode of televisions Nightline featuring an interview with Morrie, now battling Lou Gehrigs disease. Mitch decides to seek out his old mentor, and what begins as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage.
While staged well enough by director James Ong, Pollard Theatres production lacks the kind of emotional resonance one would expect from such a reliable plucker of heart strings. With a cast of two on a stage this size, theres a lot riding on the actors to fill that space and sell the story of one man learning how to live as the other makes peace with death.
right, James A. Hughes as Morrie
Michael Edsel doesnt make any awful choices as an actor, but he doesnt make any bold ones, either. Instead of playing Mitch, Edsel gives us a version of himself. Hes at his best in the role when playing opposite James A. Hughes as Morrie.
While too young for the part, Hughes brings Morrie to life, with a little help from heavy makeup. His performance, while not the most natural, is engaging.
For
Morrie, the Pollard stage is often bisected by a screen, allowing for
lovely lighting cues designed by Jake DeTommaso, and a visual
delineation between the past and present during some of Mitchs
monologues.
The
unfortunate consequence of this setup is that scenes between Morrie and
Mitch are performed at the stages rear, putting too much distance
between attendees and performers.
Jerome
Stevensons intentionally minimal sets serve their purpose without
distraction, keeping the focus on the actors. The sound design could use
some tweaking, particularly with piano tracks far too quiet to be
effective.
In
the end, Morrie feels like a play on life support with only half of
the two-person cast operating at peak efficiency, allowing for some of
the scripts hokier elements to shine through.