Arts & Entertainment Compass

Last year I was lucky enough to see Richard Vetere’s Zaglada at ATA, so I jumped at the chance to see his latest offering Poet On a String. Again performed in the Sargent Theatre, which is my favorite of the three spaces in the building.

Poet On a String takes a microscope the issues and real life realities that occur with the the changing of the times, set in 1939 and set against the backdrop of a tumultuous love affair between real life writers James Agree played by Joseph Monseur, Delmore Schwatz played by Sam Cruz and Gertrude Buckman played by Amber Brookes who also directed the piece.

Poet On a String is Richard Vetere’s love letter to a bygone era, the play is dialogue heavy and gives all the performers a chance to shine with well crafted dialogue and monologues.

The staging is bare and lighting minimal, there are a few projections on the back wall throughout the piece which if I am being honest does not really serve the production and distracts rather than serves.

All three actors give wonderful performances and I loved the juxtaposition between Monseur and Cruz and their physical choices on stage. Joseph Monseur plays Agree with a wonderful fluidity of movement whereas Sam Cruz is stiff and uncomfortable, both wonderful representations of the characters they are portraying. Amber Brookes has some scene stealing moments and gives a marvelous portrayal of what it must have been like being a strong woman in a man’s world, that was the 1930’s.

Richard Vetere’s script was a perceptive insight to the time period, a time where artists and writers were learning to change and adapt as the new medium of film was starting to dominate.

However, the love, infidelity and possible scandal storyline that was introduced early in the piece never really played out and fizzled into the background.

As director Amber Brookes does a solid job with the material creating an engaging and enjoyable show, my only criticism being the very heavy handed portrayal by the actors of being drunk and intoxicated on stage which at times pulled me out of the moment.

Overall a great play that reminds us that the times move pretty fast and one’s ability to change and adapt is as pertinent in 1939 as it is today.