BWW Reviews: Denise Fennell Gives A Powerhouse Performance in THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE

Denise Fennell is a human dynamo.

In Stages' production of The Search For Sign of Intelligent Life In The Universe, she convincingly plays several characters for 2 1/2 hours, never wavering, never losing focus. That's a tall order for an actor. There are times in the performance that are physically, as well as emotionally, demanding. You want to throw Fennell a towel to mop her brow, except the woman doesn't need one. You never see her sweat.

Written by Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin originated the role on Broadway in 1985 and won a Tony award in 1986 for her performance.
Directed by Kenn McLaughlin, this is a one-woman show, but the "one woman" portrays an eclectic group of characters who click against one another like dominoes toppling over. In act one, the lynchpin character is Trudy, a New York City bag lady, who is trying to make sense of the world and find meaning in the people she observes. She is a tour guide of sorts for her other-worldly cohorts, passing on nuggets of wisdom, such as, "Reality is the leading cause of stress among those who are in touch with it." There are so many great lines in the script that should inspire bumper sticker manufacturers and cross-stitchers who need something clever to put on a pillow.

The stage is soon filled with other characters that take over Trudy as she seems to morph into other people's lives. Agnes Angst is an angry teenager, who is given to melodramatic expressions of performance art. Fennell is very funny as Agnes, who rants about holding her hand over a candle and insisting that she "doesn't mind it". Agnes' grandparents, transplanted southerners named Lud and Marie, bicker back and forth about their wayward granddaughter. Kate is a rich, superficial woman with a funny, posh accent who is so "bored" and "jaded". Brandy and Tina are prostitutes who are sick of being interviewed by PhD candidates, and then there is Lyn, Edie and Marge, close friends from the 70's women's movement whose lives have since altered in major ways. To top it off, Fennell plays a macho boxer who becomes a sperm donor on a whim.

The second act is pretty much a play within a play, with Lyn dominating the storyline. The play is long at 2 1/2 hours, but it's the second act that really feels long. Fennell keeps up the momentum, despite a script that seems to meander a bit. We see Lyn, Edie, and Marge become full-fledged adults, dealing with grown up problems, and in one case, a tragedy.

The strength of the story lies in the theme of human connection. As the character's stories unfold, it becomes obvious that they are all connected, that everyone matters. This mirrors our own lives; the ways in which we bump against each other and connect in a myriad of ways. The end of the show is touching and emotional, with Fennel drawing everything to a close with emotional depth and generosity.

One of the many impressive things about this production was the sound design. Leslie Swackhamer is spot-on with the many sound cues, which served the action in the play nicely. Sounds such as darts hitting a dart board in perfect alignment with the actor's movement, traffic sounds as a character rolls down a car window, and weights clinking at the gym draw the production into a multifaceted realm.

Denise Fennell goes above and beyond proving her chops as an entertainer. Some of the most impressive parts ofher performance are when she is playing people in conversations between each other, shifting positions as she slides back and forth into each character. Fennell has a gift for somehow making any character sympathetic and interesting. There is a generosity and open-mindedness to her portrayals that works brilliantly with the play's message: we are all connected.

For tickets: http://stagestheatre.com/home

Top Right Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett

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