Review: Jarrott Production's LIFESPAN OF A FACT - A Return To Live Performance Brilliance

With all the stops, starts, and delays with our local Austin theatre scene, it finally seems as if the pandemic clouds have cleared and we can finally gaze upon the stars again. I can tell you for a fact, that three of our best and brightest can be seen now at Ground Floor Theatre in Jarrott Production's LIFESPAN OF A FACT.

Our lives have become increasingly confusing over the past few years. Phrases like "mainstream media", "alternative facts", and "fake news" are bantered about by talking heads on twenty-four hour news outlets. We are flooded moment by moment with stories, presented as absolute fact. These stories pour out of our smartphones, computers, tablets, and our smart watches through news outlets and social media platforms. Sometimes the truth is as ephemeral as smoke in the wind. Who do you trust to tell you the truth? LIFESPAN OF A FACT by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell (based on the book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal) dives headfirst into this question and the result is a highly entertaining, sometimes poignant play that gets to the heart of the matter.

The play features only three characters. Emily Penrose (Janelle Buchanan), the veteran editor of a magazine looking for a story that will boost sales of her flailing print publication. Next is Jim Fingal (Will Douglas), the eager young journalist who has been assigned to fact-check a piece for Emily's magazine. Essayist John D'Agata (Carlo Garcia) rounds out the cast as the writer of the content that becomes the centerpiece of the play. As Jim begins his job verifying the facts contained in John's essay about a teenage boy's tragic suicide, the real purpose of the play begins. What exactly is a fact? Can we 'fudge' facts to make a story more appealing to the reader? Just how do you verify facts that are interrupted through the lense of different witnesses? And do some numbers sound better than others? I won't spoil it for you, but the answers are both satisfying and elusive. But then, life is like that, isn't it?

Director David Jarrett has done a masterful job in laying out his space, using effective lighting on a simply gorgeous set with video projections to give us the feeling of time and place. His deep understanding of the characters shows in his performers every moment. Stage veteran Janelle Buchanan is perfectly cast as the editor-in-chief, torn between expediency and hard truth, her presence demands attention and Buchanan delivers. As the young fact checker, Will Douglas gives a spectacular performance with his engaging presence giving an otherwise annoying character a charm that is endearing. Rounding out the trio of performers is Carlo Garcia as the essayist whose writing is the center of the action. Garcia is quite simply magnetic on stage, his ability to make the audience hang on his every word, is unmatched. The trio play perfectly off of each other in a master class of acting talent. The production qualities showcase Jarrott Productions attention to detail and do it proud. From Patrick Anthony's stunning lighting design to his fantastic set design, everything is a feast for the eyes. Lowell Bartholomee visual design is flat out the best I've seen in town. Watching the sun rise over Nevada and the rain on the windows in New York brought tears to my eyes.

I must warn audience members that the play includes a discussion of suicide which may be sensitive for some audience members. It can be hard to watch for some of us who have been touched deeply by personal loss.

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT is a perfect reason to get back out to live theatre. Go and enjoy one of Austin's premier theatre companies doing what they do best - telling the story.

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT

by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrill

Based on the book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal

Directed by David Jarrott

Ground Floor Theatre

March 10-19 Wednesday thru Saturday

Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission

Tickets: $25 general admission jarrottproductions.com

Photos by Steve Rogers Photography

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