This weekend and next weekend the University of Scranton Players are going to be performing Fuddy Meers by David Lindsay-Abaire. The comedy originally premiered atthe Manhattan Theatre Clubin 1999 and has been successful in productions throughout North America and the United Kingdom.
The cast and crew have been working hard constructing the set, which in includes a turn-table and drop-ceiling. These elements contribute to the forced perspective that recreates the kaleidoscope of Claire’s world, where everything is not as it seems. The protagonist, Claire, is a forty-year-old woman who suffers from amnesia and every morning she wakes up with no memory of the day before. Her husband and son guide her through her daily life, but things become dangerous and complicated when a limping man appears, claiming that Claire’s husband wants her dead and has been trying to kill her.
The play is particularly interesting because it illustrates various disabilities and mental disorders, such as amnesia and aphasia. As mentioned, Claire has memory problems while her mother suffers from aphasia. Claire’s mother has difficulty saying what she means and has a hard time helping Claire. Likewise, a third character, Millet, is said to represent an unspecified mental illness because of his odd behavior, although this is not directly stated in the piece. Finally, the limping man has much more than a limp—he has a lisp, and he is half deaf and half blind.
The University of Scranton has also casted many talented actors for this production including Sarah Nietz as Claire, and it will be directed by Sheila Stasack. The performance runs this weekend and next weekend, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM and Sundays at 2:00PM. With the creative of the stage designers, talented performers, and renowned director portraying this intricate and complicated play, it’s bound to be a memorable performance.