The FringeNYC Festival Presents “Hadrian’s Wall”

I have been very fortunate to visit many of the world’s magnificent ancient sites — from the balanced rock display of England’s Avebury, to the classical Parthenon in Athens. Now ‘fess up folks…while surrounded by massive ruins, you can’t help but think about owning your own tiny piece of history. A teeny little rock from Rome’s massive Coliseum would never be missed, right?  Luckily, our conscience intervenes…or not!

“Hadrian’s Wall”, an intelligent, thought provoking play by Dani Vetere, ably directed by Stephen Cedars, takes this basic premise to a whole new level while unearthing (no pun intended) a labyrinth of issues.  As the tagline for “Hadrian’s Wall” teasingly informs us, “If you dig for a living, you’re bound to have some buried secrets.”

Why would a young, brilliant female anthropologist, en route to a ground breaking career (again, no pun intended), steal an invaluable artifact from Scotland’s Hadrian’s Wall while on a scholarly excavation?  Or did she?  Why would she then spend the next 15 years as a recluse in her Village apartment while accused of this crime? Why does she contribute so little to her defense?  Why is her now married ex-lover not only her lawyer, but her only contact with the outside world?

What transformed her into such a misanthrope residing in the “minutia of a very small kingdom?” With no telephone, computer, TV…not a sign of the techno world we all inhabit…well, hell, what has she been doing for the past 15 years? I doubt a flippant response such as “taking a lot of showers” is the correct answer.  Why does she keep a dinosaur head as one of her few possessions?  Who exactly is the dinosaur here?   Will anything…or anyone…draw her out of her self-created cave?

But ultimately the question that applies, in a quite unexpected context, has a double meaning. And so it is unknowingly repeated twice by two different characters.  Are there really “more reasons to leave then stay”?  These questions, and much more, make for an exceptionally thinking, perplexing drama, full of rapid dialogue, intellectual discourse, and some very clever chatter. I never thought the world of academia could be so suspenseful, and at times, quite funny.

But take heed, there is important scholarship at stake in the context of this drama, and more often then not, especially in the study of the ancient world, there are more questions then answers. The past is always with us, and does not always contribute to a bright future. The author chose some perfect metaphors in which to explore some interesting modern dilemmas.  Sometimes there are solutions to problems…sometimes not.

This is an extremely well drawn, carefully crafted three character story with stellar performances from all three cast members. The plot is rich with possibilities while the action is contained in the dazzling dialogue delivered by these talented actors.  It is obvious that the writer, Dani Vetere, and the director, Stephen Cedars, have worked well together. You quickly realize this is a well coordinated balancing act, all three character parts must create the whole, and their hard work is apparent on stage.

The central character, Ramona, is knowingly portrayed by Laura Siner with spot on delivery.  She is a smug bundle of nerves, and we soon learn she’s got some damn good reasons for some anxious angst.  Her lawyer and former lover, David, played by Eric Rolland seems to be her lifeline to the world she deliberately elected to leave.

Now here in lies the rub…when a young graduate student (Amy) played by Rebecca White delivers some library books to Ramona’s apartment, you know the moment she walks in the plot takes a twist, and there may very well be some “love among the ruins.” Ok, this time, pun definitely intended! And now a whole new set of questions are posed.

It’s quite refreshing to experience a good story in which the action is advanced with compelling dialogue. You hang on every line.  I urge you to catch this intriguingly smart drama, and to also check out the other plays, many running downtown, contributing to this year’s FringeNYC festival.

Contributed by: Joanne Theodorou

Jessica Tiare Bowen

Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.

Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.

She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.