Review: FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH's A Tailor-Made Role for John Posey

FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH/by John Posey/directed by Terri Hanauer/Odyssey Theatre/thru March 20, 2016

Actor/playwright John Posey charismatically performs his one-man show FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH providing multi-faceted, well-rounded performances of multiple, distinct characters. Writer Posey has written the leading role of John (the Son) that fits like a glove for actor Posey. Posey's built like an ex-footballer/wrestler that John is and Posey has the complex acting skills to convince the audience of all the hurt and the joy John's father intentionally and unintentionally dumped on him. John's father never complimented him, always expecting more and more from the son. Whatever John did, it was never enough.

Terri Hanauer has directed Posey at a quick, smooth pacing incorporating much illustrative body language and movement in the various characters he portrays. Posey, at appropriate times, rolls around on the ground wrestling his imaginary opponent, throws his prolate spheroid (a.k.a. football), or exhibits specific humanizing tics (Father's) or traits (the spasms of Johnny C., the mentally challenged football fan/friend of Johnny with a 200 bowling average and a complete grasp of fifty years of football stats).

Pete Hickok has designed a most polished combo set consisting of Father's living room, Tupelo County Football Field, a locker room, Johnny C's secret garden, and the radio station broadcasting "Sports Line with Wally Pepper." Projected on the brick backwalls, Yee Eun Nam's vivid videos and stills (consisting of cartoon football fans and players, grainy black-and-white game footage and Hall of Famers' headshots) complementary highlight the personages and events of John's remembrances.

Though FATHER, SON & HOLY COACH paints a rather uncomplimentary, warts-and-all picture of Father; this solo act concludes as an extremely touching and genuine tribute spoken from a son to his father. Bravo, Mr. Posey!

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