Savage in Limbo

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Savage in Limbo by John Patrick Shanley opened last Thursday night on the Gershwin Stage of Brooklyn College.  The cast, which consisted of entirely BFA Acting majors in their third year of the Brooklyn College Theatre Program, was high with energy as the lights came up to a lousy bar in the Bronx. It is a Monday night in the scene, and April is sitting – obviously hammered – alone in the bar with only the sarcastic bartender Murk for company. The title character Denise Savage is the next to arrive in a flourish, looking for excitement, followed by a tearful Linda, who has been scorned by her lover, Tony. What ensues is a hilarious rendition of each of the women pouring their hearts out about their troubles in a melodramatic fashion that had the entire audience laughing and cheering from their seats.

The play itself was held on the stage of the Gershwin Theatre, but the interesting thing about this production was that the audience was also on the same stage. Attempting to capture the true vibe of a bar, the stage was cut in half with the audience on one side in stadium styled seating with the stage set up opposite them. This created a more personal, more interactive setting which made the audience truly believe that the characters were part of their lives. This play was a wonderful story and an extraordinary experience.