Farotte and Heath superbly play off each other like a couple of chess pieces making points for their reasoning
Published online February 26, 2019
Think about being almost 80 (if you are not there already)? You turn around you are 20 — then whoosh, you are 80. How did you get there, where did the minutes, hours and days go? That is the story playwright Eric Coble asks in the Limelight Actors Theater’s production of the comedy-drama “Velocity of Autumn.”
It’s a familiar story well told with humor and truth and to some it might hit a little too close to home. Alexandra (Rosalind Farotte) realizes she is at 79 and is at a point where she needs help with everyday life’s basics. Her adult daughter and son have decided she should move to an assistant living home. Farotte plays a woman whose mind is slightly on edge with flashes of wit and rage mixed with pettiness and compassion.
Alexandra loves her brownstone in Brooklyn with all her comfortable memories and belongings and refuses the suggestion to move. She barricades herself into her apartment and strews the apartment with Molotov cocktails threatening to blow up the building if anyone tries to move her. Alexandra for the most part is feisty and alert other than a memory and energy loss here and there, and for the most part and has always been independent. Her long departed third adult son Chris (our own Kevin Heath) who hasn’t made an appearance in her life for the past 20 years is called by his brother and sister to arbitrate and climbs up a tree into her second story window to try and communicate and relax the situation.
Farotte and Heath superbly play off each other like a couple of chess pieces making points for their reasoning. Heath and JoAnna Evans direct with a smooth gentle overview. Glynis Crabb’s set and Heath’s set design accurately shows the accumulation in an apartment of the past 45 years now strewed with old rugs and Molotov cocktails.
LimeLight as usual brings delightful theater with “The Velocity of Autumn.” For a relaxing evening of fun that is a distinctive experience, call in your reservations early to be sure space is available. You can’t go wrong here. Great entertainment, close to home, lots of laughs, with an extra friendly atmosphere
Reservations are a must. Bring your own dinner and wine. Doors open at 6:30 pm with an 8 pm curtain. Check for matinees – doors open at 1pm with a 2pm curtain.
Dinner can also be ordered from the Milias Restaurant from their “Limelight Theatre To Go Menu.” Order by noon the day of the show and dinner will be delivered to the theatre at 7pm. To order call (408) 337-5100. Lots of easy parking is available.
DETAILS:
“The Velocity Of Autumn”
Where: Gilroy Center For the Arts, 7341 Monterey Street, Gilroy
Through March 23
Tickets $25
Running time: 1 hour and 45 minutes with one intermission
For tickets and information call: (408) 472-3292 or visit www.LimelightActorsTheater.com
