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A deliciously subtle play about the wonder and awe to be found in the simple act of human interactions

A deliciously subtle play about the wonder and awe to be found in the simple act of human interactions
by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid - SGN A&E Writer Heartbreak House Directed by Jon Jory Starring: Suzy Hunt, Alexandra Tavares, Michael Winters, Suzanne Bouchard, Kate Goehring, David Pichette, Stephen Pelinski Laurence Ballard, R. Hamilton Wright Intiman Playhouse July 28-August 26th Guests drop in and suddenly become family. Men burst into tears, after they've been wronged by women who seem like sirens even Ulysses would have a hard time resisting. And the patriarch of the family is trying to figure out a way to make the world a better place, by killing off those who are unwilling to live up to their highest potential. Or something like that. And all of these small dramas-and few outright hilarious comedies-take place in the rambling, but somehow lush environment of what comes to later be called by one of the characters, 'Heartbreak House'. Her reference comes as a comment to how the house, and how it changes people who come there, breaks the heart, only this is a good thing. And yes, as strange as all of the above must sound, Intiman's newest play, 'Heartbreak House' is not only a delight to behold, but also a deliciously luscious escape from modern society's ills. Personally, I'd call it the perfect summer play, as its full of the bittersweet kind of longing one often has by this time of year, with most of the summer over, and fall not yet started, but you can feel its breath on your neck. Michael Winters plays the slightly eccentric patriarch, Captain Shotover, and he does run the house much like it's a ship on the sea, with people like his daughters Lady Hushabye and Lady Ariadne Utterword vying for his attention and that of other latecomers. Everyone who comes to this house has a story, a predicament (as with young Ellie Dunn-wonderfully played by the lovely Alexandra Tavares-who shows up and is mistaken for a daughter), or a wound that needs healing. And the captain takes them all in like lost strays, even a man he keeps referring to as a pirate (David Pichette). While there are intrigues, love triangles and all sorts of mistaken identities and lost dreams, but everyone's a good sport, even when bombs fall (this is set in the time before WWI), and a comrade of the house is killed (Laurence Ballard as a Edward G. Robinesque 'man of industry') while he is out clearing his head of all the goings on. Funny, a little sexy, and absolutely as good as any moveable feast I've ever been to, this play sings to the heart and uplifts the soul, while at the same time, making the heart ache too. I can't recommend it enough, whether you need healing from the world's harsh slings and arrows, or just need a little pick me up. Go see it, and be dazzled. For information, visit www.intiman.org or call 206-269-1900.