Written by orange• October 12, 2018• 6:22 pm• Attic Theatre, Review, Santa Ana, Theater, Uncategorized

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance @ The Attic Theatre in Santa Ana – Review

Written by Patrick Chavis

The Man That Shot Liberty Valance at the Attic Theatre is a remake and reimagining of the classic 1962 John Wayne film of the same name. With a very talented cast and intermittently fantastic direction, the play hits the dramatic points, but the obvious story flaws in Jethro Compton’s script drag down the show.

The play centers around bar owner Hallie Jackson (Stephanie Garrison). Bert Barricune (Michael J. Keeney), a gunslinger and an admirer of Hallie, drags a nearly dead Ransom Foster (Mark Tillman) into her bar. Foster wakes up and discovers the infamous outlaw Liberty Valance (Robert Dill) shot him. Instead of getting revenge, Foster decides to teach Jo Mosten (Angela Watson), the African-American store worker, and Hallie how to read. The drama intensifies as Liberty finds out Foster is still alive and is intent on causing more trouble.

Liberty Valance (Robert Dill)

This play has three main storylines. One is the story about Joe learning how to read. The other two plot lines are the love triangle between Foster and Barricune and the inevitable return of the dangerous Liberty Valance. Sadly, Compton fails to balance the storylines properly. He did not give them all equal weight, making the play much longer than it needed to be. Compton reduces one of the main storylines and a character involved into a mere plot point.

Even with scripting that misses the mark, Director Paladion brings to the stage a game cast and can sometimes elevate this generic Western to greater heights.

The performance by Liberty Valance (Robert Dill) was tense and psychotic in all the right ways. Angela Watson (Jo Mosten) is a perfect counterpoint to his devilish intensity and excellent throughout the entire production. Hallie Jackson (Stephanie Garrison) fits the character through and through and keeps the romantic parts of the storyline intriguing.

Although the storyline could use a rewrite with a more focused storyline, lovers of westerns and romances with a little patience will enjoy this production now playing at Attic Theatre.

Sep 28 – Oct 21, 2018