The Diaries of Adam and Eve @ Hip Pocket Theatre
—Jill Sweeney
I am almost a whole day old, now. I arrived yesterday. That is as it seems to me. And it must be so, for if there was a day-before-yesterday I was not there when it happened, or I should remember it. It could be, of course, that it did happen, and that I was not noticing. Very well; I will be very watchful now, and if any day-before-yesterdays happen I will make a note of it. It will be best to start right and not let the record get confused, for some instinct tells me that these details are going to be important to the historian some day. —Eve’s Diary, Mark Twain, 1906
This new creature with the long hair is a good deal in the way. It is always hanging around and following me about. I don’t like this; I am not used to company.—Extracts from Adam’s Diaries, Mark Twain, 1904
Sometimes a pony only needs the one trick, especially when accompanied by the wise and always witty writings of American legend Mark Twain. The Diaries of Adam and Eve, adapted (and directed) by Yvonne Duque-Guerrero from a pair of works from Twain, is a classic he said/she said “what is the deal with women/men?” exploration of the differences between the sexes. Are we mining a lot of new territory with Adam’s consternation at how much the Garden’s new creature talks, or Eve’s frustration with Adam’s lack of sensitivity? Maybe not. But Twain’s lyrical, homespun prose, paired with a clever production concept from Hip Pocket Theater, made for a surprisingly sweet (if sweltering) night at the theater.
The duo at the center of the show is actually a pair of trios (if my math checks out). “Adam” is portrayed by Ronald Fernandez, Jr., Shelby Griffin, and Paul Heyduck, while “Eve” is played by Aja Jones-Crowe, Kristi Ramos Toler, and Amanda Reyes. The actors pair off with their respective partner at times, then separate to form a sort of befuddled huddle when parsing the strange behavior of their new roommate. As an ensemble, they play off one another beautifully, with each Adam and Eve playing the same moments, but with complementary movements and expression rather than exact mirror images: each relationship has its own particular flavor.
Heyduck’s Adam has a nice bit of Southern flair to him, and his slightly professorial air plays nicely against Jones-Crowe’s exuberant physicality, especially as his Adam is left scratching his head over Eve’s new “pet”—a wailing, squirming little thing she’s always rocking and shushing (a fish? Some sort of kangaroo?). He’s baffled. Reyes’ Eve has a lovely dreaminess to her that softens Fernandez’s slightly sterner Adam. And Griffin’s Adam (referred to by feminine pronouns, once Eve settles on Adam not being an “it”) brings a slightly bumbling sweetness to the character, especially once she succumbs to Toler’s determined Eve. Duque-Guerrero paces the developing relationships beautifully, as the couples grow closer and the relationships take on new depth. When Eve passes (Twain’s beloved wife Olivia died between the publication of Adam’s diaries and Eve’s), I found myself surprisingly moved by the chorus of Adam’s grief at Eve’s grave: “Wheresoever she was, there was Eden.”
Our Eves are menaced by the “Forbidden Chorus”, a wordless but eerie Thad Isbell and Amanda Merrill, dressed in red and black, giving big “magician and his lovely assistant” energy. For all the prevalence of apple imagery (the stage’s back exit is literally through a giant apple, and baskets of apples abound), it’s a surprisingly early and low-key moment when the fateful bite is taken, through a clever piece of stagecraft. The apples are suspended from hula hoops hovering over each Eve, and after they snatch the apple up and bite it, the hoops drop over each woman. No big music or lighting cue, just a woman trapped for a moment in a red circle, then continuing on, unknowingly changed. That may have been the key to how well this show worked—big moments were understated, but no less powerful for the low-key stylistic choices.
The music of Fort Worth-based guitarist Darrin Kobetich (who wrote and performed all the show’s music) plays a huge part in setting the show’s mood—folksy enough to complement Twain’s words without overpowering them—and the set and costume design (credited to Megan Beddingfield and Susan Austin, respectively) keep things simple, but visually engaging.
Only one weekend left of this sweet, dreamy piece. Come for Hip Pocket’s funky vibes, stay for old stories made new.
WHEN: Through July 24th (barring heat-based cancellations)
WHERE: 1950 Silver Creek Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76108
