It would be hard to imagine a more intimate place to experience theatre than Prologue's space in the back of a CVS Pharmacy (well, behind the CVS!). And it would be even harder to stage a play more perfectly designed for such an intimate viewing. "Sweet, Salty, Bitter, and Sour" is the premiere work of Eileen Mandell and longtime presence in the DMV Theatre scene. A series of vignettes from her life are strung together in the form of a stream of consciousness reflection of the Actor. We are regaled with stories of meals had in Vietnam, Italy, from recipes handed down over centuries from the Old Country and those learned in pinch to satisfy a university course. Present, too are parents, a grandmother, husbands, children, friends like family and even an acquaintance who forces a family relationship upon an unwelcome moment. Young lovers, betrayals, forgiveness, caretaking, and death.
As the Actor, Jane Petkofsky maintains the narrative and transforms the event into a moment between friends--new friends who feel like old friends, she also manages to assemble and bake first a Quiche Lorraine and then a proper struddle with a filling of nuts and dried fruits. It's a lovely play that reveals the intimacy between our stomachs and our hearts when it comes to those we love.
There was only one delta. Throughout the performance short snippets of quotes from Julia Childs our broadcast between the Actor's lines. It's a nice gimmick with the intention of punctuating an idea or bridging between two vignettes. However, the audio was oddly muffled to the point that it was really just an unnecessary distraction.
Otherwise another wonderful production from one of my favorite creatives.
Jane Petkofsky
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