It’s a remount of their award-winning production from last year, and it’s clear to see how it earned so much praise. The story is immediately intriguing with its four compelling characters and storyline. That storyline is centered around Rich, a young man visiting his uncle and his comatose, dying aunt, but who finds himself in a potential romance with two sisters. One is Joan (Amanda Sitton), a medium who allows her right hand to be possessed by ghosts so they can communicate via automatic writing. The other sister is Joan’s comparatively normal sister, Lucy (Amanda Morrow).

Joshua Everett Johnson is the newcomer in this remount, turning in a strong performance as Rich who gets surprised by his good fortune with two beautiful sisters falling for him so suddenly, is hesitant to make a choice between the two, and struggles with his disbelief in regards to it all – doubting either of them will find him appealing for long, as he sees nothing particularly interesting about his own dull and pedestrian personality. Especially in comparison to the sisters, with the two talented and amusing Amandas delivering genuine but quirky personalities and capturing their very sisterly relationship with each other, simultaneously supportive and jealous. Their dates give Rich even more reason for disbelief, performed with a blend of fantasy and reality accompanied by a magical mix of background music.

And then there’s the counterpoint to the blossoming romance(s) – the uncle dealing with the approaching death of his wife. And doing so with a shockingly dismissive nature, bitterness temporarily staving off despair and anguish. Manny Fernandes, who played Rich in the original production, is now Uncle John, his seeming coldness and bluntness broken up by glimpses of the sad romantic still in his heart, all setting up the powerful moment when his wife dies, with Robin Christ choreographing the stunning dance between her departing soul and her widowed husband.

Performs through August 24, 2008.

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill