Now Showing
Enchanted April lives up to its name, with enticing characters and an engaging plot. Lotty Wilton (Cary Anne Spear) finds herself dissatisfied with her tyrannical husband and her humdrum existence. She finds escape through an ad in the paper -- a rentable castle in Italy. Her heart aflame with possibility, she ropes a reluctant fellow churchgoer, Rose (Laura Turnbull), into the vacation scheme. Needing two others to come along to help pay the bills, Lotty and Rose entice the lonely and beautiful modern girl, Lady Caroline (Annie Reilly), and a rigid, gray-haired drill sergeant of a woman named Mrs. Graves (Pat Nesbit). The foursome makes an odd party but the castle suits them. The unfolding of the relationship between these strangers is poignant and moving. Spear is priceless, turning from a flighty victim to a natural and exuberant leader of the group. Turnbull evolves from a repressed wife into a blooming young woman ready to accept love. Reilly and Nesbit play character roles but both show growth, especially Nesbit, skillfully employing body language, speech, and a tight-lipped smile to unveil Mrs. Graves' more vulnerable side. Bruce Linser charms as the dapper young landlord who brings out the best in everyone. (Through February 13 at Caldwell Theater, 7873 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton. 561-241-7380.)
Edge is a one-woman show about the tormented life of poet Sylvia Plath. It features a startling, riveting performance by Angelica Torn that blazes as fiercely as Plath's poetry. Paul Alexander's play depicts Plath's failed romances and suicide attempts, and it excoriates her husband, Ted Hughes, as a controlling monster who profited mightily from her royalties after her death. Despite these fireworks and a welcome dose of wry humor, this tale of rage and obsession feels rather flat dramatically. Edge works best as a performance showcase for the splendid Torn. (Through March 27 at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, 3500 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove. 305 442-4000.)