Play leaves audience lost

   If you see Lanford Wilson's "The Rimers of Eldritch" in Waltmar Theatre this weekend, don't be surprised if you don't understand what's going on until about three-quarters of the way through.

   Granted, the nonlinear style is the majority of the battle. The 17 actors approach their roles with vigor. But their determination doesn't completely cut it.

   The play is presented as an unconventional murder mystery. It starts with a trial: for what, the audience is not completely aware. From the moment the lights come up, there are so many different subplots, my mind raced to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

   Sophomore screen acting major Gabi Hankins and senior theater major Caitlin Curl enter first, playing town busybodies Martha Truit and Wilma Atkins, and give the audience a glimpse into the morality of the Bible Belt town of Eldritch, Miss. They gossip about recent events in the town, periodically invoking the Lord's name for emphasis, but before their humor can be fully appreciated, another layer of dialogue is added.

   Nelly Windrod, played by senior theater performance major Martha Magruder, is sworn in to court proceedings, swearing to tell nothing but the truth – a truth of which the audience is left unaware until the play's final moments. Hankins and Curl are left to glare judgmentally in the direction of the courtroom, fidgeting with their crucifix necklaces.

   Magruder plays the frustrated caretaker of a mother whose sanity rapidly dwindles.

   Mrs. Mary Windrod is one of the most entrancing characters in the play. Freshman theater major Stephanie Kerbis' portrayal of Mrs. Windrod is stellar and all the more impressive because this is her first performance in Waltmar Theatre.

   Mrs. Windrod wanders about town, her mad and incoherent ramblings serving as brief interludes of surprising depth that cause the audience to contemplate how we treat those among us who are considered odd or dangerous just because they are different.

   Therein lays the theme of "Rimers": those who are jeered at for their differences often become scapegoats for what's really wrong with society.

   Freshman theater major Jessica Mason plays Eva Jackson, a young crippled girl whose innocence and curiosity end up making her an easy target of abuse. Freshman theater major Joseph Hirsh plays Skelly Mannor, the town loony whom all God-fearing parents warn their children to avoid. Cora Groves, a divorcée played by freshman theater performance major Jenna Tovey, is mocked by townsfolk for her suspected harlotry but is, in truth, one of the most genuine characters in the play.

   These four characters make sitting through the two-hour play, trying to connect the dots, worth it. They remind us we all have our differences, and pointing out someone's flaws does not condone our own poor conduct.

   It's about revealing and concealing the truth, and while the plot falls short of fascinating, the actors do the best they can with their material to remind us to keep our character in check.