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'John & Jen': Soundtrack for family conflict |
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Written by Andra Coberly
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Friday, 17 August 2007 |
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 For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. And between family members, ever action generates an unpredictable overreaction.
Such is the case in “John & Jen,” a two-person musical running two days a week at the intimate Nonesuch Theater. The storyline of “John & Jen,” now making its Colorado debut, is about a woman and two beloved men who share one name — her brother and her son. Spanning 40 years, the interactions between free-thinking Jen and her other-minded Johns are sewn together by a catalog of songs that are both conversational and introspective.
There is nothing hit-you-over-the-head wowing about the music or the story of “John & Jen.” With that said, there is something compelling about how the audience is led through the lives of three people — who are portrayed by two actors. And two very good actors — and excellent singers — at that. At Nonesuch, “John & Jen” is subtle yet emotive, playing up the universality of the conflict at hand and highlighting the strong voices of Gina Schuh-Turner and Mark Giles.
J&J is appealing because it focuses on the human condition and the colliding of relationships. It’s not a platform against war — which it does touch on — and it’s not a campaign against child abuse — though the characters are victims of abuse. “It’s a love story,” said director Nick Turner, who picked up “John & Jen” to run on the off nights of the more crowd-pleasing “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” For the little jewel-box theater tucked away in downtown Fort Collins, Turner calls the play “a dangerous show to look at.”
What makes J&J dangerous is its honesty, its relatable conflict and its tragic truth.
The play follows Jen and her little brother John, two children in an abusive household who vow to always look after each other. As they grow older, the sibling rivalry begins. Jen soon moves away to college and takes a turn for the psychedelic. As she embraces more free-thinking, peace-loving ways, John grows closer to his father’s more militant strictness and patriotism. The two drive each other away and John joins the military, only to his demise.
As a tribute to her brother, Jen names her son John and hovers over his every move, becoming the definition of a helicopter mom. Her intentions are motivated by her guilt over once leaving her little brother and her fear that John will once again abandon her. She thus drives him away.
While the story touches on sappiness and dives into politics and serious family problems, “John & Jen” keeps a light and warm tone. The show is song-heavy but the plot moves quickly and remains entertaining for a bulk of the play. As always, Schuh-Turner and Giles have wonderful, expressive voices and both embrace their characters, keeping them quirky without becoming caricatures. Their chemistry grows throughout the show and the two shine most during the well-directed, whimsical pieces “Timeline” and “Talk Show.” They are skillfully accompanied by Troy Schuh, upfront on the piano.
Though “John & Jen” can be dangerous and sometimes uncomfortable, that’s what makes it refreshing. That’s what makes it real. Welcome to the family.
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TO GO
John & Jen
Nonesuch Theater, 216 Pine St.,
Fort Collins
7 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays through October.
$20. Box office is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Call 224.0444 or go online to:
www.nonesuchtheater.com. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
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| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
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