Powerful Play “Two Rooms” Gets Fine UND Production

The worldwide effects of Middle Eastern terrorism have been at the forefront of the news for at least three decades now. In 1988, playwright Lee Glessing’s four-character play “Two Rooms” explored the complexity of its effect on individuals, on the news media, and on the federal government.

The play remains just as timely as when first performed. Its lasting power derives from the way it manages to find value and logic in all sides of the issue while acknowledging the deep impact an act of terrorism will always have on those directly involved.

“Two Rooms” opened Tuesday in Grand Forks and continues at 7:30 nightly through this Saturday, November 21 in the Burtness basement Lab Theatre on the UND campus.

The plot covers three years in the life of a university professor kidnapped by terrorists in Beirut, and his wife back home. While he is isolated in his cell thinking up imaginary letters to her, she secludes herself in his former office and attempts to cope as a persistent reporter tries to get her to go public with her story, and a state department official tries to reassure her that negotiations will take time and she should not give up hope.

UND student Alyssa Thompson directed and did the scenic design for this production, bringing out both the personal emotions and the various political implications very well, including those of the unseen terrorists, their very real victims, and those attempting to manipulate one or the other. The audience must enter the seating area through a hallway that has one wall displaying photos of the couple in happier times (wedding, vacation, etc.), while the other wall is bullet-riddled stone, an effective feature not indicated in the script.

The four actors all deliver powerful, affecting performances. Julia Porter is outstanding as the deeply suffering wife, Lainie Wells, who must deal with a wide range of conflicting emotions and try to assimilate a variety of conflicting points of view. Tomas Grande brings an interesting philosophic resignation to the situation of abducted professor Michael Wells, which grows as the plot develops.

Andrew Markiewicz is very believable as the reporter torn between getting a juicy story and helping a distraught woman he is also becoming attracted to. Larisa Netterlund is very effective in the unenviable role of the official who must try to enforce and explain government policy, while inevitably feeling sympathetic to Lainie’s unfortunate circumstances.

“Two Rooms” is an excellent play to see in today’s political climate, and UND’s student production is an excellent interpretation of it. Despite all its political overtones, implicit and explicit, the play’s heart is its realistic depiction of human emotions, the power of the mind, and love.

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INFO:
What: “Two Rooms”
When: Now - Nov. 21, 7:30pm nightly
Where: Burtness basement Lab Theatre on the UND campus