Review: “Misery” is very well done

Perry Luhn/for the VW independent

Misery is a Stephen King novel, which was made into a film, starring Kathy Bates and James Caan. I read some of the book, many years ago, and saw the movie. I also saw another production of this at another theater, last year. So I had a fairly good idea of what I was in for.

This last production that I saw, had two very talented performers playing the two main roles. The result was superior. Playing these parts in the Van Wert Civic Theatre production are actors very familiar to me. Nick Hribar plays a character who has had an auto accident in the mountains of Colorado. Paul Sheldon is the successful author of the group of novels, whose heroine is Misery Chastain. He is taken to a home where a nurse, Annie Wilkes, has seen to his wounds. She has found Paul’s car, off the road, and has gotten him back to her home. In the opening scene, she makes it quite clear to Paul that “I’m your No. 1 fan.” How lucky for both of them, that she has been along right after him and found his car.

Annie, we are to find out has both a dark past and dark future.

Van Wert Civic Theatre veteran Jan Miller is Annie Wilkes. This portrayal is jarring, deep, and exhausting. Ms. Miller is found to be up to this task, and then some. Annie is in love with her idol, Misery, and she will protect Misery to the end. What we see from Annie is deviousness, anger, love (believe it or not), and Miller defines all of these exactly the way they should be defined. We see many different emotions on her face, her body, and in her actions. She is both hard to watch, and hard to look away from.

On the other hand, Mr. Hribar, must also stretch himself, feigning gregariousness, obedience, and genuine interest in his deliverer. But he also must have real outrage, helplessness, and incredulity. This actor knows his business, and lets us all have it in spades. The interplay between Paul and Annie is crisp, crackly, and laden with hidden motives. We are never quite sure what either of these will say or do next. And that’s really the fun of live theatre.

The third member of this cast, Sheriff “Buster” is not given a huge role in the production. But, his periodic entrances lend some excitement to the proceedings. Playing Buster, is Defiance native Ralph Myers. This is a rather low-key character, one me that way so that the audience wonders if our sheriff knows more than he’s saying. He’s an important, though small, part of the plot. Myers does a terrific job with this, never letting us know exactly what he’s up to.

The director of this production is Findlay resident Kedryn Roether. She has been given three special actors, who have devoured the script, and could probably be left on their own. And I’m sure at points, this is what she did. But I know this director. She’s not content to let things roll. We can see her hand in much of this. The blocking for this show is incredibly complicated. You have a cripple, who must get around the stage somehow, without knocking everything over. We have Annie, who must be loud, louder, and scary. But the director must allow these emotions to build, and constantly keep her charges from settling the bill too soon. It’s a very nice job, by Ms. Roether and her cast.

Jordan Mason-Foust has designed an appropriately low-key and functional set. You can believe, that this is a home out in the hills of Colorado. This place is not spacious. It does not have a lot of bells and whistles. It can be tight, at times. Exactly as it should be. Our stage crew, in the near-darkness, between scenes, is made busy cleaning and placing. They are well rehearsed, also.

There are some moments, in this play, where chortles and involuntary giggles will occur. But we are given, before the show opens, warning, that this is not a comedy, and the audience should prepare for some frightening moments. This is also not a production that should be seen by preteens. Obscenities will appear, from time to time, and there is a good amount of violence. But most teens and adults will see past these, accepting the story as it’s told.

“Misery” was, for me, another superior production. This production still has seats available, for Thursday, February 15 through Sunday, February 18. You still have an opportunity to see this tense and thrilling show. You may obtain tickets by calling the theater at 419.238.9689 or go to vwct.org. Don’t pass it up. You’ve always wanted to see this kind of show, done well.