Sight Unseen opening fails to connect

"When a show is built on tension, it better be there in spades. With Sight Unseen, the Saint John Theatre Company's mid­season offering at the Imperial Theatre, there isn't as much tension as grasping....

This Obie-winning drama by American playwright Don­ald Margulies is the kind of work the Saint John Theatre Company has thrived on in re­cent years. Think Art, a play that shares similarities, or Proof. Both are relatively recent works that haven't been seen in these parts before, and are strong, challenging works that have had big success internationally.....

The scenes revolved beautifully and literally, thanks to the revolving set built and designed by John Murphy, a carousel featuring an art gallery, Jonathan's childhood bedroom, his college art studio and the British farmhouse...

Margulies is poking his pen through the veneer of a world built on hype. But what's interesting is Jonathan - like many in his lofty, yet difficult position - is contemptuous of the very public and media that helped create him. He's in many ways a wax man, melting before our eyes...."

Grant Kerr, Telegraph Journal, March 17, 2006

"After viewing Sight Unseen in Saint John, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised with the production, but more so with the direction. From reading the script I figured that this would be a production heavily dependant on acting and not so much on the artistic side when it came to things like set, music and lighting. I knew however by the opening few minutes that I was totally wrong. Before any of the actors even stepped on stage, the audience was introduced to the entire set as it was twirled around on a circular step, to eerie yet fitting music. After this, I enjoyed the transition from one set to another with interesting lighting patterns and strange music accompanying each change. The play was topped of with terrific acting by each cast member which made for an overall great show. I think that this was by far the biggest difference between performance and script that I have witnessed so far. I went in expecting dull sets and not much in the way of direction, and I would have been fine with this but the lavish sets and music went well with the rest of the production. Perhaps the idea of a play based on art inspirited the director to put as much as he could into the artistic side of the production and in my opinion, what he came out with could be defined as "good art". "

Peter Carr, English 2223 student, St. Thomas University, March 20, 2006