Bridge Street Theatre — Attraction in Town of Catskill

Although Leni makes for a great play, I'm arrogant enough to say that a play that sold out a Sunday matinee at the end of its run needs work. It's a two woman play that has an atomic problem. Leni wants to be either a play for one woman or a play for three people. The play keeps jumping between one person to three person and needs the quantum level that a third actor will grant.

The young Leni plays herself and a grand inquisitor in purgatory. Unlike "No Exit" by Jean Paul Satre, if young Leni or mature Leni know they are in purgatory, neither reveal that fact to the audience. Maybe I missed it but Leni's time in purgatory comes with no effort to set up the rules of purgatory. Purgatory in the Catholic sense has an exit, the exit of atonement. Young Leni talks to an empty chair where an imagined Adolph Hitler sits, but Leni might never have taken that tone of supplication. Personally, I saw a need for one character to be Der Fuhrer and the inquisitor. Heck, even Hitler could make for an inquisitor after a few kalpas in Purgatory. That idea, though, would affect the play to a vulnerability. A very strong tradition holds that Hitler cannot be redeemed by anything, even purgatory.

I can't help but think of men who played, as in the sense of tooling, Hitler artfully. The young Leni, even played as somewhat naive, must be one of these toolers of Adolph. The Germans felt a special connection to the military of Finland because Germany trained the cadre of Finland. Hence, Hitler flew into Finland to celebrate his birthday with the Field Marshal of Finland. Mannerheim had the pluck to ask Hitler to land in the Finnish Wilderness at a railyard. Hitler bought it. And when Finland dumped the Third Reich, Von Mannerheim pulled the handle on the trap door. I would want the young Leni to be half that clever.

But this play will see its text transformed as it progresses towards greater stages. It was lovely to see a fresh script played to the hilt by a veteran actress as Mature Leni and a talented emergent actress as Young Leni.

For all its metaphysical troubles, this Leni made for great theater today...

Very nice venue with ample free parking. Leg room is very tight for taller persons 6' or taller. Sit in first row to overcome this one limitation. Everything is professional e.g. lighting, sound etc. with a customer oriented, warm , extremely welcoming vibe. Prices exceptionally reasonable. Free films on Sat. mornings. Good selection of plays. Close to restaurants on Main Street. Easy drive from Albany....

It is quite interesting to note that all of the 1 Star reviews of this venue had a response from the theatre inquiring about the reviewers negative experience and none of them responded. Additionally, they included no information about their experience in their initial review. If you've had a negative experience at a business, please let the owners know what they can...