BUS STOP by William Inge
As I walked into the Brown Theater Building on UNCG’s campus on a cold and dreary night, I was suddenly transported back in time to a little truck stop diner from the 1950s. As I entered the very intimate theater, I was welcomed with country music and a sold out performance. The experience of Bus Stop focuses on the intangible feeling that has sparked fights, tears, and the feelings of “completeness”- love. Inge makes the intangible, tangible by exposing the surreptitious side of love and begs the audience to explore their own emotions, if they dare.
As the lights dim, we are introduced to Grace Hoylard (Leah Turley) and Elma Duckworth (Emily Kester), two waitresses, as they are preparing for a long night at the bus stop diner. Will Masters (Nick Albrecht), the local sheriff, warns of the impending storm that sets this play into motion. For a sudden storm has knocked out the phone lines and has forced eight strangers to confront their fears, struggles, and triumphs with love in one evening with each other. Within this group of strangers, we see the different facets of love whether it be physical, idealized as in romance novels or the latest tear-jerker, or even its corrupt nature. This play is composed of simple scenery and rich with intelligent dialogue, which invites the audience to reflect on their own personal experience with love and confront it.
Being a play not based on elaborate scenery, shows the strength of this cast’s talent with portraying very complex characters. Physical love is represented by Grace (Leah Turley), a wise cracking waitress who is having a somewhat secret affair with Carl (John Dillon), the sexy, yet elusive bus driver. It shows the pleasurable side of physical desire and the downfall of what happens when the physical is no longer and what truly remains-nothing. Turley delivers comedic relief in awkward situations with her sass and is very aware of the consequences of her actions and tries to advise Elma (Emily Kester) not to follow in her path. Kester portrays Elma as a young, sweet Southern Belle, who is naive in the ways of the world, seeking love in all the wrong places.
Many people look to movies and books to learn what romantic love is, unfortunately, if you’ve experienced it yourself, it’s so far from the truth. Inge was able to portray what love “seems” to be in relation to what it really is. We meet the “couple,” Bo Decker (Chris Raddatz) and Cherie (Elizabeth May) and are introduced to their whirlwind romance that has turned into a very tumultuous, sometimes volatile relationship. Raddatz does an exquisite job of portraying Bo, the young, cavalier, hot-headed cowboy who has blinders on when it comes to his beloved fiancée, who happens to be his first love. May delivers Cherie as a sultry, red-headed, burlesque dancer who is wide-eyed and has big dreams for being a singer in the world, but seems aware in the back of her mind, knowing it will never come true. The chemistry between these two characters is so intense, that neither one knows how to handle it and deals with it in humorous and violent ways.
Corrupt love is presented in the character, Dr. Gerald Lyman (David Godshall), who is a middle aged, three-time divorced drunk, and broken man who has an unhealthy love with his sights set on the young Elma. There is an ongoing of inappropriate flirtatious banter that revolves around Professor Lyman and the innocent Elma. There is even a memorable scene where the patrons of the diner partake in a talent show, and Elma and Dr. Lyman reenact the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Godshall delivers this complicated character with ease and it is not until the end of the play where the audience learns of the reasons behind this individual’s melancholy demeanor.
The last type of love that surfaces in the play is that of love never experienced. Virgil Blessing (Stephen Spencer), an older cowboy who has raised rowdy Bo and has lived a solitary, lonely life by choice. Spencer’s portrayal of Virgil is a standout among a cast of talented actors and actresses. Every line delivered, I was captivated by his overpowering, yet understated presence. His expressive face and delivery of lines transformed Virgil Blessing from a character into a real person that the audience could relate to and emphasize with. It is not until the end of the play that you learn how Virgil truly feels about his decision to living the life of a true cowboy on the range: alone.
As I was walking out of this play, I felt for each of the characters and found myself relating to some of their stories, more than others. I was not alone in this way of thinking, as I shuffled out of the auditorium, I could overhear my fellow patrons of the arts, sharing their stories and relating them as well. This was one of the best productions I’ve seen at UNCG thus far and would recommend it to anyone who has had questions about love and is looking for answers concerning the different sides of it.
Location: Brown Building Theater (402 Tate Street, Greensboro, NC)
Dates: April 27th and 30th
Time: 7:00pm
Tickets: Call 336-334-4849 or logon to the box office online
