Jacob’s House Review: Martin Denton, nytheatre.com

(Photo: Justin Hoch at jhoch.com. Pictured: Tiffany Clementi, Matthew Archambault)

At long last nytheatre.com’s Martin Denton attended a Flux show! We’ve been wooing him for a long time, and as readers of this blog know, we’re big fans of all he does for our theatre community.

I’m thrilled that Matthew Archambault, Zack Calhoon, Jane Taylor, Jason Paradine, and Kelly O’Donnell are singled out for praise, and am fascinated by the question Martin ends the review on:

“I found myself thinking hard about the differences between being chosen by God to found a nation, as the Bible tells us Jacob was, and deciding more or less on your own that God sanctions all your actions, as this American Jacob seems to do. “

Is this a question you found yourself asking? For me, it seems clear that our American Jacob has a direct, personal relationship with a divine force of uncertain origin and intent; first, through the conduit of his mother, Rebecca; and later, through his three direct encounters with the Messenger. This divinity clearly wants him to take America as his own, but to what end is unknown; and how to morally interpret this sanction, and Jacob’s wavering course in carrying out, is left open ended.

Regardless, I was thrilled to have Martin and Rochelle at last in our audience. So, read the whole thing here, then get your tickets, and after you’ve seen the show, please share your thoughts here.