PLAYREVIEW Accentuate the Positive Starring: Bonnie Comley Director: Stewart F. Lane

By Jonnie-Margaret
McConnell
The Oklahoma Daily

     The razor sharp wit of playwright Frank Stroppel proves dull in his latest comedy, Accentuate the Positive.
     Making its world debut at OU, Accentuate the Positive is weak in plot, but strong in delivery.
     The play follows Anne-Marie Cleary, a newly divorced mother, through her daily struggles with accepting the fate life brings.
     Bonnie Comley plays the part of Cleary.  Comley is a New York City actress and guest artist of OU's SummerStage.
     The action takes place in the kitchen and dining room of Cleary's two-story house.  Appropriately detailed with wood floors and a leaking roof, set designers outdid themselves in creating a highly convincing and realistic set.
     Along with excellent set design, Accentuate the Positive is a well-staged production.
     The play's shortfall is its plot.
     Set in the intimate Max Weitzenhoffer Theatre, where interaction between audience and case is easily fostered, Stroppel's lack of character development prevents this relationship from growing.
     A perfect example is the character played by Eugene Douglas, Brian Cleary, the mentally unstable brother of Anne-Marie's ex-husband.

    Forced to live under the same roof, Anne-Marie and Brian grow closer as a matter of circumstance.
     Stroppel's lack of foreshadowing of Brian's past history throws the audience for a loop when Richard Cleary, Anne-Marie's ex-husband returns to question her about the relationship that has developed between her and Brian.
     Allusions to Brian's past history force Anne-Marie to ask Brian to leave.
     While moments of surprise can be used to increase the intensity and plot of a play, they must be supported by a plot that can easily change direction taking the audience members along.
     Accentuate the Positive fails to lead its audience.  Left hanging as to the exact events of Brian's past, audience members are stunned with the sudden change in Anne-Marie's attitude toward Brian.
     Audience members are again shocked as the play abruptly ends without any sense of foreclosure or foresight into the future lives of the characters.
     The downfall of the play's plot in no way clouds the performance of the actors.
     Taking what little they had been given, all the actors did a fantastic job of embodying their character's personalities and convincing audience members.
     While Accentuate the Positive lacks continuity and substance in plot, actors and crew together have created a first production that does justice to their abilities.
     Accentuate the Positive is currently playing at Max Weitzenhoffer Theatre, located within Rupel Jones.  Performances are scheduled at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
     Cost is $5 for students, $8 for faculty and staff and $10 for the public.  For information, contact 325-4101.