Bittersweet Midnight at the Salem Theatre Company

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the first performance of this one-woman play at the Salem Theatre Company on Lafayette Street. 

It was both written by, and performed in its entirety by Judith Black.  And it was excellent.

This video is just a tiny snippet of the story that is Act 1 -- Old Towne, and is set in Marblehead in 1689, 1692, and the present day.  It is a look at not only the witch trials, but also the rich history of this area, with many interesting twists and turns.  It is only meant to give you a bit of a look at Judith Black, who is quite amazing.

For one woman to act, non-stop, in so many roles, one would think at some point she must miss what character she is, but that did not happen, and after awhile you could easily imagine all of the people in her tale.

From my perspective, Act 2 should not be called that.  It is really an entirely different genre, not having anything to do with Act 1, except for the fact that it is the same actress, and she just keeps on going, kind of like the Energizer bunny.  It is quite enjoyable as well, but does not seem well-matched to Act 1.

So if you understand that walking in the door, and can wrap your head around these two very different entertainments, that just happen to be provided by the same actress, you should have an excellent time.

As always, I enjoy the very intimate feeling that such a small theater provides, and the entire evening was very entertaining and interesting.  The value is certainly there for live entertainment, and I give it an enthusiastic recommendation.  Just know what you are getting in to, and relax and enjoy.

Juli