“Witch” – Faustian Bargaining in a Small English Town

 

Elizabeth is not your easily recognizable eye of newt, tongue of bat sort of witch. Nor is she one of the horrific hags Shakespeare so cleverly inserted into his tragic masterwork, “Macbeth” or one of the pitiful victims accused of witchcraft in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.

For that matter, she may not even be a witch at all, but in playwright Jen Silverman’s “Witch,” scenic designer, Jenn Bechak creates a convincing abode on one half of the stage fitting for one versed in the magic arts, with her array of mysterious, perhaps nefarious, bottles and Earth Mother-ish trappings.

As the title character, Shammen McCune puts in a brilliant rendition of someone who’s borne the whispering undertones of her gossiping neighbors, the furtive accusatory glances and suspicions of her fellow townsfolk and the menacing ostracism from the social fabric of the community for years.

Worn down by their subtle hostility, she seems to have settled into a solitary life without the hope of redemption.

That is until Scratch (Max Pavel) arrives, dressed like a dandy in black clothing with colorful flourishes and a tempting proposal. “How would you like to punish those who’ve wronged you in exchange for your soul?” he asks wielding a list of mild to ever more severe penalties and afflictions he’s capable of conjuring up.

On the other side of the stage rests the banquet hall of the local lord, Sir Arthur Banks (Brett Kennedy), where the impish devil has already been hard at work, trying to harvest souls in exchange for the fulfillment of their deep desires.

One victim is the lord’s only son, Cuddy Banks (Matt Henderson) who has his eye on the manor’s servant girl, Winnifred (Lorna Lominac). Unfortunately, he learns from the devil that his rival in love and his father’s affection, Frank Thorney (Ryan Patrick Kearney) has already secretly married the girl.

Sir Arthur complicates matters and enrages his son by preferring Frank as his heir because he sees that his son is lacking in the skills and attributes needed to run his estate and manor house. This dual rivalry makes for easy conquests for the souls of both.

As Frank, Kearney is a cock of the walk, ambitious, mercenary and determined to rise in the social hierarchy no matter what. His early affection for Winnifred is threatened when Sir Arthur suggests introducing him to a better catch, the daughter of a prominent neighbor.

Despite his infatuation for “Morris dancing,” a form of English folk dance, and his rather acquiescent and softer ways, Cuddy scoops up enough courage to demand his rival’s death in exchange for his soul.

Only Elizabeth is immune to the devil’s persuasions, although the reason behind her rejection of a bargain is quite interesting. I’ll not divulge it here so the readers can savor the rationale and contemplate the soul-searching thought it invites.

Elizabeth’s steadfastness perplexes Scratch initially, but he soon is infatuated by and perhaps even submissive to her. Their relationship is certainly a dynamic one, one that evolves throughout the play.

The playwright tackles some rather heady questions that she largely leaves unanswered. Interspersed with the weighty matters is some clever humor and witty dialogue that is especially delightful when coming from the mouths of McCune and Pavel.

Henderson, too, adds a good deal of comic charm that's balanced by his need to fight back to preserve that which is inherently his, and Lominac as the double-crossed lover gets some measure of revenge with some ear shattering dropping of dinner trays and maladroit table service.

As Thorney, Kearney plays his role as a formidable cad and sociopath, while Kennedy is both aristocratic and vulnerable because of his nagging desire to have a viable heir follow in his footsteps.

Ingrid Sonnischsen directs this fascinating dark comedy with assistance from Ken Bolden, Janus Young provides some interesting sound effects (the caw of a crow at the onset and the hoots of the owl entr’acte were brilliant flourishes), Randy Kovitz provides some astonishing and polished fight direction, and Lilith Deville sets the acoustic mood with some devilish tunes on the accordion before and after the show.

“Witch” is at the Carnegie Stage, 25 W. Main St. in Carnegie, Pa. through March 22. The play is produced by an independent group of local artists and theater professionals. Arrive early to hear Deville perform in the lobby and pursue the goods on display for sale by several pop-up stores.

For tickets and more information, phone (724) 873-3576 (option #1) or www.carnegiestage.com.