She&Her "Orange Flower Water" review by BobEvans

Orange Water pushes limits to extreme
Rating: 5

Orange Flower Water
She&Her Productions

Four actors, two couples, one bed, lives spiraling out of control, and heartbreaking reality - all grab the audience for an intense look at the effects of an affair that spins all lives into a free-fall. Be prepared for extreme adult fare, extreme language, extreme adult action, and extremely precise acting.

Opening night of "Orange Flower Water" brought a sell-out crowd to the small theater venue that aims to create intimate experiences for audiences. Intimate, yes. It does create an intimate experience with only 50 seats with the front row just inches from some of the stage blocking.

Directing kudos go to Doug Ford who selected and guided a strong cast through the adult drama about the effects of an affair that spirals out of control. The couples deal with past promises, lost love, raw emotions, wants, needs, desires, and broken dreams. Ford fine tuned each performance to wring the most from the gifted actors who brought the drama to life.

All four performers deserve praise for their performances. With such intense material, all worked together and off each other to create the drama of each scene. The two adulterers David and Beth (Doug Dresslaer and Alli Tunnel) create the conflict that affects the lives of their spouses, Brad and Cathy (Andy Penn and Helena Cosentino). Each actor brought great insight to each character and delivered strong performances.

While all four actors turned in flawless performances, audience members will find themselves wanting to know more about the character of Brad. Penn's portrayal of a man who discovers his wife's illicit affair and shatters his reality rips at the viewer's heartstrings. Penn set a high standard for his future performances. Watch for him around town.

Overall, an intense drama created a stellar night of theater. Go see the show. Don't miss it. But, be aware, it's not for children.