FEBRUARY 2008

WHEN YA COMIN' BACK, RED RYDER?

"This is a review I was not going to write.  I am an actress sans any degree in the theatre arts.  This makes me an audience member without educational background. That said:   I had no prior knowledge of When You Comin' Back Red Ryder? by Mark Medoff.  Never even saw the movie.  I do remember Red Ryder as I was there when he heroically saved much of America (at least on the radio) pre TV, along with Tom Mix and John Wayne.   Having lived through now 4 major wars, I have come to shun and abhor violence.  It does not excite me; it turns me off completely and I would happily leave any area in which it exists.  And I do not just mean large-looming violence - I include the small works of violence people commit toward each other, like racial hatred, discrimination on religious, sexual preference, or body structure bias.   So - THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER OF WNY, INC.'s production of the play, now on the stage at Theaterloft on Elmwood in Buffalo.  I went to see it last night, totally unaware of what I was going to see.  And I HATED the play.  It has every type of the aforementioned violence.  I wanted very much to leave as soon as possible.  The story of a self-hating boy who wants to leave his barren New Mexico life, his cruelty to the obese girl who obsesses on him and tries to make a life out of serving coffee and doughnuts; the crippled owner of a remote gas station; two travelers of intellect and wealth; and a giant whose mind has been warped by war, with a girl who uses her sex to acquire - anything - hardly the stuff of dreams and pleasurable watching.  The end of innocence.   And yet, I am still filled with it.  A credit to the actors who so repulsed, but fascinated me.  There is a lot of power here, almost too much.  But I don't know how it could have been less.  At almost every turn, the actors could have overdone; yet, with one exception (he being required to overact), they are restrained .  Very good work people.   To my mind, it is a play that should be seen because it is a microcosm of the world as we know it today - and it is very well done.  If you have the same rabbity feelings that I do, tie yourself to your seat.  There is much to gain."

Mary L

Gidget Goes To Buffalo