By Joanne Engelhardt
Such a simple set, yet by the time the Pear Theatre’s production of Love Letters ends, the show’s various actors (all but one couple are real-life partners) bring a tear or two to audience members. In the play, characters Andrew and Melissa love each other – but never at quite the same time. That’s what makes it so poignant.
The Pear’s Artistic Director, Sinjin Jones, came up with the novel idea of selecting different actors who are real-life couples to appear at each performance. Each duo is asked not to read the script ahead of time or do any research for their roles.
… The Pear definitely has a hit…
Playwright A.R. Gurney conceived Love Letters as a short novel in 1988 but later realized it made a better play. (He’s also written such well-known plays as Sylvia, The Dining Room, and The Cocktail Hour.)
Director Wynne Chan explained to each couple there would be no rehearsals. The actors don’t even see the set until they walk out to perform. The two enter from separate parts of the stage and each sits down at a desk, facing away from each other, with a white curtain serving as a barrier between them.
The first letter, written by Melissa, is sent to Andrew (Andy) when both are in the same second-grade classroom. “My parents are sending me to dancing school. Do you go to dancing school, too?” Andy scoffs at that, writing back that he’s supposed to take up sports – even though he doesn’t want to.
As they grow up together, they also recognize what different worlds they come from even though both are born into wealthy WASP families. They are trained from childhood to follow the customs of their class structure, but while Andy conforms, Melissa is something of a rebel. She sees her family as dysfunctional, which, she says, is like having no family. Andy’s family is more stable and he’s more conventional, so it’s likely Melissa’s rebellion is why he’s attracted to her.
Eventually, Andy goes to an all-boys school, and the two keep up their friendship by sending each other letters. He then gets into a prestigious men’s college. Melissa chides him by writing: “Going off with the boys again…” Later, the two begin calling each other rather than sending letters, but it’s not the same – and they both recognize the value of the written word.
One of the delights of doing this play without rehearsals is that occasionally, even the actors laugh at something they are saying – or laugh at what the other says in response.
If all of the actor couples who appear in Love Letters are as charming and enthralling as the Bravermans, The Pear definitely has a hit on its hands. Check out the schedule of which couple appears on which date on the theatre company’s website: www.thepear.org
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Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: joanneengelhardt@comcast.net
| Production | Love Letters |
|---|---|
| Written by | A.R. Gurney |
| Directed by | Wynne Chan |
| Producing Company | The Pear Theater |
| Production Dates | Thru May 12th |
| Production Address | 1110 La Avenida, Suite A, Mountain View |
| Website | www.thepear.org |
| Telephone | (650) 254 - 1148 |
| Tickets | $38-$40 |
| Reviewer Score | Max in each category is 5/5 |
| Overall | 4.50/5.00 |
| Performance | 4.75/5.00 |
| Script | 4.50/5.00 |
| Stagecraft | 4.25/5.00 |
| Aisle Seat Review PICK! | YES! |