John Cariani, the quirky actor who played Motel in the recent Fiddler on the Roof, has written a quirky bunch of short plays taking place in snowy Almost, Maine. Much of it is gentle theater—a very sweet look at shy people in rural America as they mate and mismate. Jumping from the surreal to the sweetly sentimental, the first-class cast of four wonderfully versatile actors, Finnerty Steeves, Todd Cerveris, Justin Hagan and Miriam Shor, all in multiple roles, give us a pleasant, amusing evening of romance in rustic America.
It's stronger in Act 2, as emotions deepen and the actors dip into more reality of feeling. White wintry set by James Youmans, earflapped costumes by Pamela Scofield and lighting by Jeff Croiter are all just fine. Director Gabriel Barre, who hails from the north country, has a clear understanding of these characters and directs with fine comic timing and clear actions. He's probed for the real emotions in this odd, but fun, bunch of theatrical snowflakes.
