IN MY MIND’S EYE

We are first introduced to a young girl, a very assertive, opinionated young girl, definitely with a strong sense of identity, and self worth. She is heard speaking, which we come to find out is us hearing her inner thoughts and feelings, through her "Mind's Eye," her vocally taped diary, into a recorder.

The time is 1968.

We first view her as she runs, into, outside ~ an elderly man who has fallen in their garden, helping him up and, concerned, guides him inside her home, where she spends much of her sheltered life. Patty, played quite brilliantly by Peyton Kirkner, is both honest and earnest in her connection with her new and only friend, Calhoon (played wonderfully and with much heart by Lloyd Pedersen). They were instant friends; and even though Patty is legally blind they easily shared conversation. The actors totally conveyed that feeling, so it was all the more heart-wrenching when her mom, Lola Henderson, played determinedly by Maria Kress, who, understandably, is ultra protective, comes home and just couldn't fathom this new connection ~ having been the caretaker-mom all of Patty's life, this was a concern she had not yet encountered. Flash forward, and back and forth, throughout the rest of the play, this played out and developed one of the underlying themes while at the same time we were fast-forwarded to Patty (aka now renamed by herself, Trish) as a school teacher in 1981.

Patty (Peyton Kirkner) is a smart, sparkling young teenager, the child of a single mother, Lola (Maria Kress). The child was born with eyes that did not work right. She can see with her left eye, barely and with difficulty. She is chipper despite her situation and wants more than anything to be able to go to a regular school, instead of the “special” school she has been attending. Her smothering, over-protective mother resists the notion. She has a decent job, but the child is her life.

Despite In My Mind’s Eye’s occasional missteps, The Group Rep’s revival of their 1984 hit is likely to resonate with anyone who’s ever suffered from “mother issues” as Patty and Trish’s shared journey towards adulthood offers more than its fair share of rewards.

Bruce Kimmel did a sterling job as director of this exceptional cast and the play, having been written years ago, shows no signs of being outdated in any way. - Highly Recommended

The audience is never privileged to fully understand her perspective and other shades of her character; she is merely the villain or the loser, with little in between. Though clearly the second most important character in the play, she’s presented with little depth. It’s clear that she loves and wants the best for her daughter, yet she so often achieves the exact opposite; I wanted to know so much more about the emotional history behind that tragic irony than I got.

Doug Haverty’s script is full of feeling and compassion, and with excellent direction by Bruce Kimmel, each of these actors reaches into their characters giving us the courage, spirit, fortitude, and finally resolution to the difficulties life throws us.  Winning several Drama-Logue awards, "In My Mind's Eye" was originally developed in Lonny Chapman’s Playwrights Unit, and was the first full-length play presented in the theater of the same name.  My first thought was that this play is truly a gentle story, but I think the perfect word is tender.  It is a tender yet strong and wonderfully written story, and one I became totally engrossed in.  Great set design by Pawena Sriha, new to the Group Rep.

A moving story inspired by true events, In My Mind’s Eye reveals the joys of overcoming challenges and making connections through excellent performances and direction. Thoughtful and rewarding, the memory play reveals the joys of following your own heart.

All in all, “In My Mind’s Eye” succeeds because of its otherworldly, ethereal meteor shower  of a presence, not despite it. The play is a riveting, rewarding and radiant example of a woman’s bravery and dedication in the face of sure failure and severe bullying.

Bruce Kimmel finely directs one of Doug Haverty's early plays about a young girl and a woman who are legally blind. He captures blindness in a whole new light by letting us see the person for who she is from the inside out. There is some character confusion at first, but once this is resolved, there is much to enjoy with a dynamic cast.