Snowy like Monday morning

You know, I've become used to the "We're all gonna die!!!" mongering from the TV weather crews, but you would have thought the apocalypse was coming by watching last night's forecast. It appears to have snowed about a quarter inch so far -- come on, where's my snow storm? If I have to live with all the cold and darkness and general misery of a Minnesota winter, we could at least have a nice heavy blanket of fresh snow.

The Syringa Tree

A week after declaring that Mark Rylance's performance in Peer Gynt would likely be the best of the year in the Twin Cities, I got a chance to see a performance of at-least equal scope and power. For nearly two hours, Sarah Agnew is alone on stage in the Jungle Theater's production of The Syringa Tree. Yet after a few minutes, you forget that this is a solo show. Agnew brings a dizzying variety of characters to life (about two dozen), each one distinct, fully formed and instantly believable.

Playwright Pamela Gien drew on her experiences growing up white in segregated South Africa for the play. The writing is direct, detailed and poetic. Much of the show is seen from the viewpoint of young Elizabeth Grace, who closely observes the complex dynamic of her home, their African servants and the political turmoil outside the gates. It also means Agnew spends much of the show as a pre-adolescent and she carries it off with great aplomb, making the youngster an absolutely believable -- and endearing, for her youthful faults -- character. The first few times she quickly shifts to another character are a bit jarring, but once the rhythm of the performance is set, the audience is along for the ride, following the dynamic, magical and heartbreaking tale Gien tells.

Elizabeth's magical look at the world -- infused with the beliefs of the Xhosa servants and her own youthful imagination -- is matched perfectly by the set and the direction -- both crafted by Joel Sass. It's easy to look at a one-actor show as being the sole work of the  performer, but as in all theater, this is an act of collaboration -- in the case, between the one on-stage artist and the crew off-stage that make it work.

Still, it is Agnew's performance that shines brightest here. Without any other actors to share the burden (and not even an intermission for a rest) it is up to her to keep the show alive -- and Agnew does that, and then some.

The show runs through March 9 at the Jungle in Minneapolis -- it is not to be missed.

Monday morning links:

Check your geek-index in today's AV Club.

Good news for Lost and BSG fans (OK, fans of other TV as well, but that's all I really care about): the strike may be coming to an end.

Apparently, they're still making the Land of the Lost movie. With  it, another piece of my childhood will die.