REVIEW: ONE BRIEF SHINING MOMENT
Playwright and actor Dyanna Jacklin asks a profound question throughout the dramatic comedy One Brief Shining Moment: if you had the opportunity to go back in time, would you take it?
The answers are as varied as they are emotional as we meet two couples and their unexpected connections to one another. First, we are introduced to Renee (Jacklin); a neurotic lawyer desperate to appear nonchalant about hosting a dinner party and her chill (almost to a fault) husband Peter (a layered and emotional performance from Jim Kelly), an aspiring artist who gave up his dreams to ensure financial security. We are then introduced to their dinner guests Allan (a hilarious, scene-stealing Tyler Brent), an architect who wanted to act and Allie (a deeply moving performance from Mallory Davenport), a Broadway performer who refused to give up on her dreams. The twist comes when we find out that Allie and Peter were former lovers who went their separate ways without any significant resolution. Through a series of flashbacks, we unpack their relationship and the decisions they made for love, themselves and others.
The entire cast is incredibly skilled from their building tensions to the vulnerable moments throughout. There’s plenty of levity as well to break up the heavier scenes, including a shout out to a fellow Fringe wizard adlibbed effortlessly by Brent. Overall, the writing and performances are strong and thoughtful and while the ending feels abrupt (possibly an opening night glitch), it leaves the audience with those questions of timing, consequences and moving forward, allowing for meaningful post-show discussions.
While there is much to praise about One Brief Shining Moment, the production’s only real hinderance is the impressive but awkward set that is forced upon too tiny a stage. The cast does their best to work efficiently moving the set during frequent scene changes but the audience is left in the dark for long stints of time, wondering when the scene will continue. These longer transitions are saved by the carefully selected music cues which at least allows the audience to sit and reflect on the scene. Equally awkward is the cast being forced to enter and exit off the stage, which takes the audience out of the moment that has just passed. Undoubtedly, these transitions will be smoothed out with time and should this show continue beyond Fringe, it would benefit immensely from a larger stage or a more manageable set design.
One Brief Shining Moment is a well-crafted, reflective piece of theatre. Its characters are all relatable, especially for those involved in the arts who often struggle between following passion with financial uncertainty over security. It asks all the right questions from “what if?” to, perhaps more importantly, “what now?” Don’t miss it.
Mallory Davenport (left) and Jim Kelly (right) as Allie and Peter….
