June 24, 2010 — Severe thunderstorms with high winds and hail were forecast for the afternoon and evening, so I was a little nervous about the drive to Peterborough where I had a reservation for "The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead," a one-woman performance starring Lisa Bostnar. But the storms never materialized, and there were just intermittent light showers along the way, most of them at the same time the sun was shining.
The play was excellent, but then I've never been disappointed at Peterborough Players. Lisa Bostnar, one of the most talented actors in New Hampshire summer theater, gave a tour de force performance playing seven different characters, including a male child and one adult male. Lisa had the stage to herself and minimal props were used. A series of moving frosted "windowpanes" hung over the stage. For each of her costume changes, Lisa ducked behind a pane where she could be dimly seen changing costumes while a Janice Joplin recording played.
I should mention there was a lot more to Lisa's character transformations than simple costume changes. Although the differences in costumes were significant, Lisa's ability to slip with ease into dramatically different personalities was stunning. The lives of the seven characters were tied together in subtle ways that become increasingly more obvious as the play progresses. It's important to listen carefully to every word of the dialog.
Lisa got a well-deserved standing ovation at the conclusion.
