Review: Twisty GIDION'S KNOT at Counter-Productions Theatre Company

Counter-Productions Theatre Company's GIDION'S KNOT may run at just about an hour in length, but their effective production of this one-act play, directed by Kira Hawkridge, leaves the audience with plenty to mull over.

An obvious play on the term "Gordion's knot," referring to a very challenging, if not impossible to solve problem, gets right at the heart of the show. In it, Corryn, a mother who we quickly find out has lost her 11 year old son, Gidion, to suicide, attends a parent-teacher conference that was set up before said event. But the teacher, Heather, seems less than pleased by this visit. To say too much more about the story would be providing spoilers. Instead, it's best just to say that nothing about the entire situation, from the meeting itself to what really happened with Gidion, is as straight forward as it seems. Over the course of the act, themes such as caregiver responsibility, childhood innocence, and much more, are explored and often left open-ended for the audience, which is what gives this show staying power long after you've left the theatre.

The two performers, Victoria Ezikovich as Heather and Valerie Remillard as Corryn, expertly capture not only the spoken dialogue, but much of what is unspoken as well. Johnna Adams' script is full of weighty pauses, and both actresses are able to fill those silent moments very well with just their body language and facial expressions.

The production makes smart use of AS220's black box theatre, with the audience seating set up in a circle, with a teacher's desk at one end and a single student's desk opposite. Hanging on two of the walls is just the type of décor one would expect from a fifth grade classroom, a cursive writing diagram, a display of A+ papers, and more. While props are mostly limited to plastic balls, they are used symbolically to excellent effect, as a fill-in for cell phones, notes, and even the chapters of an entire story.

Sadly, this is Counter-Productions Theatre Company's final show but with Gidion's Knot, they are going out on a very high note. Be sure to catch the show during its final dates, May 24th and 25th at 7pm, or May 26th at 2pm at AS220's Black Box Theatre at 95 Empire Street, Providence, RI. Tickets are $20.

Pictured: Victoria Ezikovich and Valerie Remillard

Photo Credit: Jason Talbot