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PRESS REVIEW Say 'hi' to invisible Theatre's 'goodbye, harry' By CHUCK GRAHAM Have you ever wished somebody would come sit down in your living room and play piano? Even though you don't have a piano? Invisible Theatre is offering the next best thing with "goodbye, harry," a one-person evening of music and whimsy preformed by Pamela Ross. On stage is a baby grand piano, with stacks of music and packing boxes scattered here and there, a few paintings on the walls and a self-portrait of Harry Ross. The setup is that Pamela's father Harry, a retired dentist who loved to paint pictures and play piano, has passed away. Pamela is in his apartment, taking care of the last few details. She pauses to play Harry's piano one last time. And to tell mostly humorous stories about her father the dentist, who also had some innovative ideas about art and life. More than half the two-act show is music, with Pamela throwing herself into playing a mix of classical, Gershwin and jazz pieces. None of this is done with the hyper-art finesse of a big name symphony concert in Centennial Hall. Pamela is an accomplished concert pianist. She knows the pieces, and she plays them. All the classical excerpts will be familiar to everyone. Even if you hate classical music, you will know these tunes. Pamela's casually delivered comments between songs add to the intimacy of a pleasant evening. It's clear she isn't doing any acting when she talks about missing her father. Some prerecorded voice-overs representing Harry, done by K.H. Roberts, make this beloved father seem even a bit more real. Though Harry hated to travel, Pamela makes him sound the sort who would brighten any long, boring airplane ride. It is a colorful portrait enhanced by the music. |