Review: JUDGEMENT OF THE EYE at The Overtime Theatre

We spent another wonderful date night out at the San Antonio regional theatre scene this weekend, and it was our pleasure this time to visit The Overtime Theater for its production of Judgement of the Eye by Simon Bowler Khan. 

We have always appreciated this theater’s vibe, the pride and passion always shines as we speak to volunteers at the box office and throughout the lobby. We even chatted with a couple during intermission who have been coming to see shows at The Overtime for over a decade. They spoke about how much they have loved the original scripts, and how the material has always given them great conversations and topics to consider. They also mentioned how much they have loved the intimate space and the company of people who come together to make it all happen. I am always glad to hear of people checking out our area’s live productions!

Before the show began, we were happy to be seated with enough time to fully appreciate all the nuance and detail in the set design, created by Jeanie De Leon. I have to say this is one of the most remarkable and compelling set designs I’ve seen in this space. I appreciated how its metaphor for the themes of the play mixed masterfully with Peter Photos’ light design to create an atmosphere that closely followed the story, framing the characters in the world of the play. The costumes, by Sara Brookes, provided engaging creativity as well, with their paint splatter and interesting color choices. All of these technical elements helped tell this intriguing story in a way that had us walking through it and talking through its moments for hours.

The story involved an artist, Han Van Meegeren, played by Joshua Davis, doing his best to make a living in Amsterdam during World War II. Han realized he had an unprecedented gift for creating fakes, and he made a fortune painting and selling them. This led to a series of difficult dilemmas, suspicion, and after the war even imprisonment. Simon Bowler Khan’s script is contemplative and intriguing.  Davis played the character of Hans with believability and conviction throughout the journey of the play, his softness and earnestness making us root for him even in his mistakes.

He and Jennifer Ortega, who played his wife, Jo Van Meegeren, portrayed a complicated but sweet relationship, displaying honest connection and chemistry. Lucy Perez gave a wonderful performance playing Lotte, as she drew us into the story and committed to a fully believable character. We’ve enjoyed watching her performances twice now, as we also loved her work as Ermida in Midsummer Sueno at the San Pedro Playhouse earlier this year. We will continue to watch for opportunities to see her perform. Also making a big impression and playing an entirely convincing Inspector Henrich Wooning, was Ahmed Hussain. His dynamic portrayal of this role helped us conceive of the world and raised the stakes for the show. We enjoyed every moment of his outstanding performance. 

Director Blake Hamman and the entire company should feel wildly proud of this riveting and polished production! San Antonio, you should head on out to The Overtime Theatre and check it out! I think you will have the same experience as the couple we met at intermission, as they helped remind me of what a joy it is for me to be a part of sharing our area’s regional theatre experiences with you!

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