“Going to St. Ives” takes global ideas about dictatorship, genocide and
responsibility, and places them in the every-day setting of two people
quietly sipping tea.
Thought-provoking and realistic, “Going to St. Ives” is a play about two mothers who come from different backgrounds and try to relate to each other through difficult circumstances. Dr. Cora Gage, played by actress Colleen Madden, is a famous optometrist from England who deals with secrets and struggles from her past throughout the show. Olivia Dawson plays May N’Kame, the mother of an African dictator who faces complicated choices in the future as she contemplates her responsibility to her son.
The two women meet over tea in Cambridge, England, to talk about the surgery Dr. Gage will perform on May N’Kame, but end up conversing about a deeper topic – how to stop May’s son from killing four doctors held hostage and thousands of others. The first act takes place in Dr. Gage’s sitting room, and the second act takes place in Africa six months later – making for great contrasts in setting.
The two actresses do a remarkable job portraying the fragile emotional state of two mothers who are trying to forgive themselves for what they have done and learning to live with their choices. Madden, a core company member of the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, is especially relatable to many as an Englishwoman suffering from a loss and a rough marriage. Dawson, who received her MFA from UW-Madison, controls the stage as an empress but also frequently makes jokes, allowing the audience to see behind her regal fa?ade to the woman within.
As the audience watches the show, it struggles to understand these real-world issues right alongside the actors. May’s dictator son is very similar to the real-life dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin, one of the most widely-known contemporary African dictators. “Going to Saint Ives,” written by playwright Lee Blessing, explores the world African dictatorships after English colonial rule and allows people to learn about a culture and a society very different from their own.
This production is recommended for anyone over 13 that wants to broaden his or her global prospective. Although the show overall is serious, it contains a lot of funny moments and poignant monologues. The dialogue is witty and very relatable.
The show is put on in the Promenade Theater at the Overture Center, which is a smaller theater with the audience on three sides of the stage. The setup makes the production more intimate and allows a good view no matter where a person is located in the audience.
The set is very simple – with a round stage containing a couch, chair and table for the first act set in England. The second act is similar but uses two chairs, a table and a lot of potted plants.
The simplistic set design allows the audience to focus on the acting abilities of the two women and less on the set itself. Both Madden and Dawson are up to the task as they flawlessly weave together a masterful story of power, revenge and empathy.
“Going to Saint Ives,” presented by the Forward Theater Company, will be at the Overture Center from March 3 to March 19. Tickets are $20-$35 and can be purchased at the Overture Center or online at www.overturecenter.com.
