Theater festivals can be hit or miss in their line up of shows, but The Cabrini Theater's Venus/Adonis Festival has hits from a range of artists and playwrights, from the absurd to modern day melodrama.  Housed in the beautiful 21' by 17' proscenium theater with technical capabilities comparable to some Off-Broadway's thriving venues, this festival is a staple to the community of Washington Heights.  With a little over 25 productions this season, the Final 6 competed for the award for best play, presenting their one acts in two evenings for judges and audiences alike.

The Brink

"The Brink", written by Eugenie Carabatsos, looks into the aftermath of the fatal shooting of two friends, witnessed by Helen (Betsey Brown) and Charlie (Vardaan Arora).  The two must reconcile their thoughts and changing feelings towards one another.  The production starts off rather safe with dialogue a little too spot on, making it predictable and a bit taxing to watch.  However, there are shining performances; Brennan Pickman-Thoon, in particular, is charismatic and tender as one of the victims, giving much life to the piece.  Director Joe Raik takes this memory play and elevates its theatricality with crafty blocking, utilizing to his advantage the confines of the text and space.

Homage

There is a lot that goes on in "Homage", presented by the ensemble group The Clearing under the direction of Natanya Ruth Silverman.  An experimental piece of theater mildly effective in its presentation, "Homage" tells the story of woman sorting through her clutter to find her voice. Not enough context is given to link the two worlds Silverman sets up in the space to her desired effect.  Though it has some great choral and solo singing and choreography that makes interesting pictures, "Homage" still needs some dramaturgy work.

Reflections in a Ditch

The last show of the first evening was both well made and professionally produced: Novo Novus Productions' "Reflections in a Ditch", written and directed by Dane Joseph.  The opinionated Vera (Arlene McGruder), mother of five, mourns the death of her favorite son, Raymond, who was found dead in a ditch. Bold and ludicrous, McGruder gives a knock out performance, and with co-stars Akyiaa Wilson (Jeanette) and Charlene Modeste (Nancy) brings this family drama to life.  Joseph, creator of the hit web series "Drama Queenz", has a promising career in the theater, as well.

Im-mu-ni-ty

Both touching and mesmerizing, Shari Umansky's "Im-mu-ni-ty" filled the space at the Cabrini Theater.  A culmination of writer/director Umansky's life works, her play takes us into a Nazi medical exam room where Dr. Schuller (Brad Brockman) must torture Gita (Maria Hoffmann), an old grade school teacher of his, but lacks the necessary conviction. Both Bockman and Hoffmann are extraordinarily remarkable in their roles, leaving you stunned with the haunting experience of being entrapped by both of their circumstances.  "Im-mu-ni-ty", set as a "torch in honor of Anne [Frank]'s legacy", is a play where applause isn't enough to show appreciation for the experience of the performance.

Satan vs God

"Satan vs God" has a promising title, but it didn't quite make the impression I'm sure playwright Deaon Griffin-Pressley intended.  It has interesting casting, with two female leads in the roles of Satan and God, as well as an enticing short film of chaos and creation shown at top of show; however, it doesn't really set the play up for an inciting incident.  Set in an asylum, God is the patient while Satan plays a nurse.  The back and forth banter between the two comes across as preachy, more suited to a church than a theater.

Carte Blanc

Last of finals was "Carte Blanc" by Stella Maria Perry, an absurdist comedy with a dark twist at the end.  In a fictional Scottish countryside, a king takes a mail-ordered bride; what transpires is quite unconventional.  In the hilarious prologue, the leading male explains the rules of hunting squirrels before going to his royal palace.  His bride comes from the country seeking to marry rich; their Russian head maid with four fingers on her left hand rounds out the cast of crazy characters.  If you like theater of the absurd, you'll love this play with it's consummation ceremony, jungle games and talk of the revolution.