Nov
14
2007
Dukakis Shines In Rose
by Tracy Bueno
posted in Arts & Reviews |
Olympia Dukakis shined on Wednesday evening as she performed her one-woman show Rose at UCSB’s Campbell Hall. An established actress with countless recognitions including an Oscar and Golden Globe, Dukakis made her mark on stage from start to finish.
In the play, written by Martin Sherman and previously shown at the West End and Broadway, Dukakis played the title character, Rose, and interacted with the audience about pivotal moments of her life; Her time in Ukraine and her struggles both in her family and with identity. All of this occurs post-World War II and there were points where she couldn’t let go of the past. I loved the minimalistic stage setting, where there were few props except for a basic chair, a cooler, a glass of water, a script and Ms. Dukakis herself. It was up to the audience to imagine Rose sitting down and having a conversation with them in a modern environment. It was exhilarating to hear about Rose’s life and how much it affected society.
Some highlights included her endless amounts of humor on various topics, especially when Rose talks about her relationship with her husband in Warsaw, but gets serious and teary (bring out the tissues!!!) when she recounts her daughter’s sudden death, which brought out deep anger, grief and sadness. Dukakis displays a range of emotions and affects a believable Russian accent, transforming her into a totally different person. Rose’s account of love and migration to Atlantic City, which she describes as “Warsaw on the sea,” brought a hopeful note to a performance that dealt with Rose’s struggles to define herself as a woman and a Jewish person, especially during a time of change.
Dukakis belongs on that roster of great actresses. She was fantastic in sinking her teeth into this character and interpreting Rose as a complex character who debates whether “there’s a joy in not belonging” or the fact that “God is just a question like everything else.” She ended with a tune as the light shone down into darkness.