Valcour Island Productions is presenting the thought-provoking show Love West of Dupont Circle. The piece, written by John Harney, is an afternoon meeting between two journalists, brought together by a matchmaking-hopeful relative, and the conversation that ensues revealing the stark contrast in their religious and political views, despite their shared Catholic faith.
Gil Mitchell plays Owen, an underemployed writer currently working at the local farmers market, who goes to meet Constance (Maryanne Henderson) at the urging of her aunt — a customer of his at the market who believes the two would hit it off. Constance is very apprehensive at first, but as the small talk organically progresses into larger topics like abortion, she opens up and the pair discovers that their profoundly different viewpoints are rooted in deeply personal experiences and not simple, surface-level assumptions.
Mitchell’s Owen and Henderson’s Constance are well fleshed-out, complex individuals, and the actors do a great job bringing them to life. The material is all dialogue, but director Trenor Gould keeps the pace quick and maintains a natural and engaging flow throughout the performance. While I thoroughly enjoyed the production, I did want there to be more. There is a lot of potential in the work that I feel could benefit from a heftier plot with an evolution of one or both of the characters. I would love to see further exploration of what happens after the interaction.
Harney’s Love West of Dupont Circle is an intelligent production that displays the intense political climate and heavy division in our country currently, but highlights the connection and understanding that can be achieved with open conversation and a little compassion. The show is by no means an endorsement of any particular view but instead explores the importance of perspective and offers a glimmer of hope for common ground.
Cast: Constance: Maryanne Henderson, Owen: Gil Mitchell
Production Team: Playwright: John Harney, Director: Trenor Gould, Stage Manager: Chimera Thompson, Set Design: Jeffrey Asjes
Running Time: 65 minutes
Genre: Drama
Dates and Times:
- July 20 at 5:05 PM
- July 21 at 11:35 AM
Venue: Delirium, 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: Love West of Dupont Circle
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
