Critique of Promises, Promises

By: Areli Rodriguez

DRAM 1310
 On Friday, September 16, 2016 I attended the play Promises, Promises, based on the
book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Hal David, and music by Burt Bacharach. The play was held at the
Heinen Theatre and directed by Paul Hope. The plays purpose and aim would be to reveal the
hardships and injustices an individual experiences when it comes to love. After watching the
play, I was fairly pleased with my experience due to certain, contributing elements within the
play such as the acting by the performers, costumes, scenery, and lighting.

The way in which all the actors and actresses interacted with one another to create the
performance into one whole art piece was great. Each and every character seemed to have
belonged and lived inside the urban, busy time period of New York City. When it came to the
focus of a main character, the extra actors within the background were doing some kind of task,
such as talking, sleeping, laughing, and even arguing. The constant, simultaneous activities
created an active, ongoing mood for the audience, as expected in the urban New York City. Actor
Dylan Godwin, playing the role of Chuck Baxter, was very convincing in portraying this kind of
character. Godwin was expected to represent an ambiguous, hardworking, yet clumsy individual,
and he did just that. The character Chuck, very much lacked confidence and was self-conscious,
just as expected, Godwin presented this to the audience by always having his hands between his
legs, avoiding eye contact and looking down, and stuttering and fumbling with his words,
especially when it came to talking with his boss J.D. Sheldrake and his love Fran. The character
Chuck was very to himself, the play would suddenly pause in order for Chuck to physically
remove himself and directly communicate his inner thoughts to the audience. For example, when
Chuck were to be talking to Fran he would somewhat manipulate the play by having Fran act as
if she was in love with him, but in reality it was his thoughts and imagination taking over, and
the conversation would resume all over again. Actress Katie Fridsma played the role of Fran
Kubelik. Fridsma was rather convincing in her role as Fran, a conservative yet easily influenced
girl. The actions Fridsma took such as crossing her legs when she sat, holding together both
hands, her formal way of walking, and how she spoke when it came to difficult, uncomfortable,
or normal situations. For example, when she met with her former lover J.D. Sheldrake, played by
John Gremillion, she hid her emotions by positioning herself away from Sheldrake, avoiding eye
contact, and her quick, insulting responses to his excuses, conveying her irritable, uncomfortable
mood to the audience. The character J.D. Sheldrake is a manipulative, confident man who
receives what he wants. Gremillion is excellent in portraying this individuals character by
protruding his chest outward, having a serious expression, and his change in tone when speaking
with Fran. For example, when Sheldrake called Chuck into his office in order to make a deal in
using Chucks apartment for his affair with Fran in exchange for Chuck being promoted to a
higher position, he maintained his professional attitude and manipulated Chuck into agreeing to
his deal by suddenly crossing his legs onto the desk indicating his comfortableness in controlling
Chucks decision.

The scenery throughout the play helped the production. The scenery was quite simple, but
allowed for the audience to use their imagination and visualize the scene itself for themselves.
Many props were used in order to create the setting for each scene, such as chairs, tables,
silverware, and blankets. For example, Chucks apartment was small and had very little furniture,
chairs were used as the couch, bed, and a way to separate both rooms. Although there wasnt any
kind of structure or technology used to produce a detailed setting, the idea and atmosphere was
successfully brought to the audience. Another example would be the bar in which Chuck and
many other characters danced and performed in, there was a small table used as a bar with shot
glasses and a couple of small stands with table clothes and candles used as tables for the
customers, the scene was basic, but produced the mood and overall idea of a small, busy bar.
What enhanced the scenery of the play even more would be the background and what it consisted
of. The digital background contained gradient colors similar to the mood of the scene, for
example, the last scene where Chuck and Fran admit their feelings for each other, the
background consisted of the colors pink, red, orange, warm colors that helped the audience feel
the warmth and intimacy of the moment both characters were experiencing. The background of
mixed colors wasnt so extravagant and over the top, which helped in maintaining the focus on
the actors. Although the scenery and resources used were so simple and ordinary, they achieved
their goal to create a clear, straightforward experience for the audience.

The technical lighting for the production didnt succeed in its purpose to focus on a
certain event occurring in the play. When it came to a scene where a group of characters were all
to be present, the white, bright light didnt do a very well job in conveying the atmosphere or
mood for the audience. For example, in the last scene where Chuck and Fran are briefly
expressing their feelings for each other, the light doesnt change in color nor in brightness, not
creating the desired intimate mood and overall emotion. Another example, would be when Chuck
is revealing his internal sadness and disappoint after discovering that his boss Sheldrake and his
love Fran are together, a spotlight is included onto Chucks face but loses focus and has such a
bright, unemotional color that it loses the deep, depressing emotion the actor Godwin wants to
communicate towards the audience.

The costumes improved the experience of the production, women wore skimpy dresses
and heels, not designed for extravagant dancing, men wore snappy suit and ties, creating a very
urban, busy mood for the audience, as expected in New York City during 1968. For example, the
girls dancing in the turkey-lurkey time skit were wearing short, unfitting dresses that werent
made for physically lifting legs and frantically moving across the stage. Although outfits were
successful in displaying the characters within this specific time period, it wasnt very functional
and mobile for the dancers. Another example would be Chucks change in suits before and after
he was moved to a higher position in his job. At first, Chuck had a yellow, plaid suit which made
him stand out compared to the crowd of successful men working above him, the unappealing
color presented Chuck as an outcast with no sense of style. On the other hand, once Chuck
fulfilled his deal with his boss Sheldrake and was promoted to a better position, he wore a navy
blue suit with nice dress shoes, definitely displaying his status and social standing to the
audience.
 In conclusion, the play did accomplish its overall effect of drawing the audience into a
scandalous, typical play about love and all that comes with it. This was my first real play that
Ive attended and it has definitely influenced me in attending others in the future. I believe this
was a great production to begin with because of its clear plot, I now know what areas I need to
concentrate on when observing and critiquing a play. I now view theatre as a form of physical art
including naturally moving individuals that impersonate fictional characters in order to
communicate a message or idea to others.