Nathanial Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” a fine Gothic morality tale at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford

3 Stars

(4 stars is excellent, 3 stars is good, 2 stars is fair, and 1 star is poor)

Theater: Playhouse on Park

Location: 244 Park Rd., West Hartford

Production: Adapted by Stuart Vaughan with Marie Kreutziger. Directed by Stuart Vaughan. Costume design by Martin Thaler. Lighting design by Tim Hache. Production stage manager Ryan Bell.

Running time: 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

Show Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. through March 20.

Tickets: $15 to $30. For tickets call 860-523-5900 or visit their website at http://www.blogger.com/www.playhouseonpark.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Jana Mestecky … Hester Prynne

Craig Rising … Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale

William Shust … Chillingworth

Hollis Long … Pearl

Charles Merlis … Gov. Bellingham

Ed Bernstein … Pastor Wilson

Brad Brinkley … Brackett

Heidi Jean Weinrich … Mrs. Cole

Kendra Underwood … Mrs. Waite

Shirley DePhillips … Mrs. Hobson

Rayah Martin … Mrs. Apthorpe

WEST HARTFORD- Nathanial Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” a regional premiere, is brought to Gothic life at the Playhouse on Park.

This dark morality tale, set in Boston in 1650, has all the elements of a classic tragedy – betrayal, loyalty, secrets, and of course an unhappy ending. Stuart Vaughan, who also adapted the story for the stage and Marie Kreutziger, confidently directs this classic story.

As most remember from their high school compulsory reading, married Bostonian Hester Prynne has an affair with an unknown man, has a child, and is forced to be publicly humiliated and wear the scarlet letter “A” pinned to her dress at all times.

The prim Prynne, played with strength and determination by the lovely Jana Mestecky, won’t betray the man who got her into this mess, and as a result is ostracized and vilified by the close-knit Puritanical Bostonian society.

The women, played by Heidi Jean Weinrich, Kendra Underwood, Shirley DePhillips, Rayah Martin, along with Brad Brinkley as Brackett, form a Greek chorus of venom and mob hatred that knows few bounds and crushes all who waver outside of their societal constraints.

Charles Merlis plays the reasonable Gov. Bellingham, while Ed Bernstein’s rigid Pastor Wilson adds gravitas to the proceedings.

Prynne’s long absent elderly husband, the insidious Chillingworth, played with relish by William Shust, returns to find his wife’s ruined state and demands that she keep his identity a secret, which she complies with, as long as he doesn’t reveal the man with whom she committed adultery, the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale.

Craig Rising plays the tormented and broken-hearted Dimmesdale, who, although apparently an upstanding leader who does much to ease suffering in his community, can’t stand the hypocrisy of his life and the secret that is eating him alive from the inside.

Chillingworth does his best to torment Dimmesdale and feeds on Dimmesdale’s anguish, making his own life one of bottomless revenge and passionate hatred.

As Prynne points out to Chillingworth, his evil ways are bad for everyone, including him. Chillingworth, to his credit, acknowledges that she has a greatness about her, but won’t stop his vengeful ways.

Prynne’s young daughter, Pearl, is played by the energetic but miscast Hollis Long. As I was watching the show, not having read the program, I thought how terrific she would be starring in the musical “Annie.” Turns out, she has, and has many other shows to her credit. But here she indicates and gestures, rather than reacts or connects with the actors.

The period costumes by Martin Thaler are excellent and work well with the simple, stark set with a couple of benches and a platform, all in black. I could have used without the dry ice that doesn’t add much and smells moldy.

I suppose one of the pleasures of seeing this show is to be reminded of how nice it is that we don’t live in a time when you could be hung for committing adultery. But it also has a timeless lesson that it is better to be honest and forthright despite the consequences, rather than live a life of hypocrisy and deceit.

(Jana Mestecky plays Hester Prynne. Photo credit: Rich Wagner)