451 Reviews By Joe Bills Monadnock Ledger Staff © 2003, Monadnock Ledger [Used by Permission - published 14 August 2003] WILTON - "Fahrenheit 451," the final production of in the Summer of the Future program series at Andy's Summer Playhouse, ends the troupe's 33rd season on a very high note. Robert Lawson's script and music, inspired by Ray Bradbury's well-known book of the same name, tackles the novel's issues of censorship and the freedom of the human spirit with creativity and intelligence, and makes exquisite use of a simple set to capture much of the futuristic feel of Francois Truffaut's classic 1966 film adaptation. In this future, firemen don't put out fires, they start them. They are, in effect, the thought police, ferreting out concealed works of literature and incinerating them to protect the masses from the evils of knowledge and ideas. With nary a false moment, the ensemble cast makes easy work of difficult physical and vocal choreography throughout, and each of the original songs is delivered with impressive strength and emotion. In many respects, the true star of the show is Lawson's inspired set design, which makes use of a two-story, six box construction of screened-off "stages," allowing for as many as 12 scenes to be played out simultaneously. Through this simple construction, the troupe's performance space in a converted Wilton Center meeting house built in 1860 is transformed into a vision of the future gone wrong, with the creative use of sliding screens and projection literally supporting the layered performances. Lawson's original music, along with a song by Andy's staffers Jessie DiGiacinto and Meghan Donelly, is ably performed by the quintet of Lawson, Duncan Pelletier, Erik White, D.J. Potter and Adrian Prohaska, and perfectly sets the scene throughout, following the action from mind-numbing banality through moments of slapstick hilarity and back again. The central character, to the extent that there is one, is conflicted fireman Guy Montag, who over the course of the two acts comes to see the inherent value of the literature it is his job to destroy. Ethan Selby delivers a capable, varied performance in the role, seeming literally to soften as his humanity intrudes on his profession. It is Katie Rolph, however, as an author who is burned when she refuses to be parted from her books and rises, phoenix-like, from the ashes, who steals the show with her impressive vocal range. Rolph's vocal strength appropriately mirrors the resolve of her character. The rest of the ensemble cast, ranging in age from eight to 18 and playing as many as three distinct roles each, are invariably strong. Sam Baker-Salmon, Finley Bomer-Lawson, Molly Brown, Sophie Chambers, Kate Cochran, Jess d'Arbonne, Allison Drogy, Nathan Earley, Josh Gelbwaks, Allegra Gilfenbaum, Abby Hart, Caitlin Holmes, Meg Johnson, Aimee Joyce, Dillon Maloney, Kara Maloney, Laura Millar, Emma Parker, James Ramey, Stephen Reinstein, Melody Rolph, Angela Thomas, Michaela Thomas, Samantha Wagner, Sarah Wagner and Sadie Rose Zavgren each manage the dual tasks of standing out individually while being part of an integrated whole. What flaws there are to be found with the production are largely the same liabilities that have long-since been attributed to Bradbury's original work. One such limitation is that while all of the characters manage to be somewhat interesting, none of them truly has a central role in the narrative, which flounders in spots due to the lack of real audience attachment to any one of them. The work has always been more image- than character-driven, and the production is much the same. While the spectacle of the production will undoubtedly be appreciated by all, those unfamiliar with the story might find the stage adaptation difficult to follow. There were other minor glitches on Tuesday night, as the troupe went through its first full dress rehearsal, particularly as music drowned out voices in places, but those small snafus were likely resolved by the official opening last night. A thoughtful, creative production of a challenging moral work, Lawson's adaptation allows his very strong cast to present a captivating spectacle of the triumph of human spirit over "a world where no one wants to see below the surface anymore." "Fahrenheit 451" will be performed at Andy's Summer Playhouse in Wilton Center tonight at 7:30 p.m., with showings at the same time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Next week, there will be a 2 p.m. matinee on Wednesday, and nightly performances Thursday through Saturday. © 2003, All Rights Reserved