By ROGER SMITH - For the Star Beacon
ASHTABULA — Once every quarter century, I am reminded that Ayn Rand wrote works that were something other than great thick books about the joys of capitalism.
Such a different work is on the stage at the Ashtabula Arts Center in the form of her well-known play,”Night of January 16th.” A murder mystery within the capitalistic world of banking, this three-act offering allows members of the audience to be the jury and render the verdict at the end of the trial.
Directed by Douglas Eric Anderson, this show uses a well-assembled, well-rehearsed cast to entertain ticket holders. Staged so the audience is able to see the entire courtroom — including the area reserved for the spectators — the drama offers a panoramic view of all that is happening at any moment during the almost three-hour long play.
Because the murder victim is Swedish, there are occasionally some thick, native accents that are difficult to understand — especially those of the character Magda. Another minor glitch is that the seemingly indiscriminate banging of the gavel by the judicially ineffectual judge sometimes drowns out the accents and important lines said by several actors. However, it all comes out in the wash.
In this cast of 20, there were no weak performances; everyone was up to the task of entertaining the audience. Mark Pendleton in the role of District Attorney Flint offered a very good portrayal of the man charged with convicting the accused. His opponent, Dave Bucci as Defense Attorney Stevens, was just as effective. Both kept the tension high throughout the evening. Fred Robsel and Aimee Dieffenbacher-Gilbert as the Whitfield father/daughter combination gave performances that caused the jury to be suspect of their involvements with the murder victim.
Aaron Knight, a newcomer to the Ashtabula stage, was cast in the role of Guts Regan, an obviously irritating, out-of-place gangster who stepped into the world of high finance. In only her first full-length performance on stage, Cari Pocse as the accused Karen Andre did an outstanding job of keeping secrets, maintaining her calm, cool, collected demeanor, and raising a variety of suspicions and emotions from viewers. It is nice to see new names appearing in the list of those who perform at the Ashtabula Arts Center.
The purpose of theater is to entertain. “Night of January 16th” does not disappoint. This offering is well-worth the price of the ticket.
This production is on the stage of the G.B. Community Theatre at the Ashtabula Arts Center tonight and Saturday at 8 and Sunday afternoon at 2 and also next Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets may be reserved by phoning the arts center at 964-3396.
