The Ballad of Soapy Smith

Cyrano’s Bookstore is a funky little shop in downtown Anchorage (413 D Street) that is part bookstore, part café, part playhouse, and part art gallery.

http://litsite.alaska.edu/akbooksellers/cyranos.html

I have been to several plays at Cyrano’s: "Waiting for Godot", Kafka’s "Metamorphosis", and one who’s name I’ve forgotten (it was about these sea creatures that came up from the depths and befriended a pair of humans). Each play was very good albeit a little off the beaten track.

Unfortunately, I have to say I did not enjoy the play I saw there this weekend: “The Ballad of Soapy Smith”. I’m a little bummed about that, too. I had so been looking forward to it.

I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was about the play that I didn’t like. It could have been that I expected a melodrama or a comedy: it was neither of those. It could also have been that there was a lot of bad language and yelling in the story: I don’t like either of those, and at one point contemplated leaving because of it. Or it could simply have been that I didn’t believe the actor playing the main character: he just didn’t suit the part, in my mind.

The sets were very well done. Cyrano’s is not your typical playhouse, and the stage they use is really just a room with some chairs in it. They did the best they could with what they had, though. It was very sparse and minimalistic.

I liked the costumes, too. They did a very good job providing period clothing to the members of the cast, and it was a very large cast too. The only caveat to that statement would be the director, who had to step in at the last minute for somebody who was unable to show up that night. His clothing was just your regular 20th century clothing – and he really stood out for it. Of course, he also stood out for the script he held in his hand; apparently he didn’t know the part. But kudos for the entire cast for being able to play anyway, despite the “sore thumb”.

But, no: I still have to say that overall, I did not like the play.