“Sandra”
TheaterWorks Hartford
TheaterWorks Hartford is currently presenting David Cale’s compelling, if slightly overwrought, one person play, “Sandra” in a fine production. The real key to the success of this show lies in the sensational solo performance by Felicia Curry as the title character. Over the span of about 90 minutes (with no intermission), Curry manages to portray over a dozen different characters, employing changes in her posture and voice to individualize each character in the show.
The result is quite wonderful, even if the play itself can feel like a little too much (and goes on a bit too long). Nonetheless, Jared Mezzocchi’s direction is topnotch, keeping the show continually moving at a rapid pace. And, if Mezzocchi can be credited for bringing the best out of his lead actress, the same can be said for the accomplishments of the talented design team. “Sandra” at TheaterWorks Hartford is quite a show and, if you are able to bear with some of the over complications in the plot, you are bound to have a good time at this production.
Interestingly, the curtain is up when the audience arrives at the theater and Curry sits onstage even as people are being seated. The set, warmly designed by Marcello Martinez Garcia, contains just a chair and a pocketbook and the walls of the set are a pale blue. Likewise, the costume design by Sarita Fellows is basically simple and appropriate. Once the show starts, however, the stage comes to life. The projection and video design by Camilla Tassi are awe-inspiring and the entire evening has been perfectly choreographed so that the projections are completely in synch with the plot and scenes in the play. The play itself concerns the character of Sandra, who is married, but separated from her husband, and what happens when her close friend Ethan goes to Puerto Vallarta on vacation and then simply disappears.
Sandra spends the whole show searching for her friend, and the other characters in the play include detectives looking for Ethan, various other friends of Sandra’s, and, most significantly, a sexy man named Luca, whom Sandra meets when she goes to Puerto Vallarta. Not to give too much away, but the more that Sandra gets involved with Luca, the more frightening the play becomes. In this show, it can be said that not everything is what it seems. Of course, this being a one person show, it is the task of Curry to bring the whole production to life. To say that she accomplishes this is an understatement. Curry is dazzling throughout and each character is personified perfectly.
If this actress is a knockout and a wonder, the same can be said of the projection, video, and lighting design. “Sandra” contains a whole panoply of settings, from an airport to a bar to a beach, and everything is terrifically brought to life by this design team. Camilla Tassi’s video contributions are spectacular, and she works in perfect accordance with the excellent lighting designers Amith Chandrashaker and Alex Fetchko. “Sandra” may contain the most successful use of video and projection design that I have ever seen.
As one takes the journey with Sandra, in what ultimately turns out to be something of a detective story, the more hypnotic and hallucinatory the show becomes. The only real complaint about the show is that it almost seems like the playwright has added more incidents to the plot than the show can really handle and a slight sense of over length begins to set in. Nonetheless, “Sandra” offers the audience quite a ride and, technically, the show is a stunner.
The real key to “Sandra” working, though, is because Felicia Curry is such a great actress, switching from one character to another seamlessly and being consistently endearing throughout the play. Indeed, one really comes to care about the character of Sandra and it is that quality that one will take away from the show. It should also be mentioned that the music by Matthew Dean Marsh adds considerably to the evening and further draws one in to this serpentine story. “Sandra” at TheaterWorks Hartford is a wondrous achievement and ranks as a must just to see this amazing actress centerstage.
“Sandra” at TheaterWorks Hartford in Hartford, CT runs through June 23, 2024. For tickets, please visit http://www.twhartford.org
Photo: Felicia Curry
Photo by Mike Marques
Reviews by Zander Opper 
Fantastic review Zander!! 🩷🩷 mom
Sent from my iPad