Keely and Du

Unfortunately its social cliches, unsophisticated plot, artless dialogue, and mediocre acting contributed to what was simply a boring play. Without complexity woven within the fabric of a story line or a grand slam of emotion impregnated into the dialogue the ambiance of a "true life story" dissolves. Personally I felt that the script must have been written by a teenager. Its simplistic and naïve approach to issues as complex as abortion and felony kidnapping sickened me. A scenario as juvenile as a young woman who is rapped by her estranged husband and wants to get an abortion yet an underground cultist group of Southern Baptists kidnap her seems hardly plausible. The premise of this reverse "underground railroad" of "concerned citizens" having the foresight, ability, altruistic pool of people and financial resources to maintain stealthy, while at the same time providing for the kidnapped one's family is so outlandish and absurd I am surprised that I even sat through its entirety. The idea of total secrecy is silly, neither the Mafia nor the United States Government can sustain a level of total secrecy that well. The production's lopsided view on the abortion issue provided no concessions for the audience to get an objective look at Keely's situation. However Neanderthalistic such an opinion may be, the playwright should have taken this into consideration, thus leading me to believe the writer was either inexperienced or biased. In regards to social cliches, I am not surprised that an inexperienced writer would choose one of the oldest cliches, fanatical religious doctrines, as a satellite theme. Akin to taking a stab at religion is its farcical stereotype of total male dominance and passive, submissive females in the Christian faith. For its adolescent style, I give the play credit. Keely and Du attempted to tackle an amazingly difficult and emotion evoking topic. Unfortunately swinging for the fences results in many strike-outs. Because of its absurdity, lopsidedness, and obvious cliches, Keely and Du was a strike out. Maybe Jane Martin should spend some more time at the batting cages before Ms. Martin moves into the big leagues again.

Keely and Du is one of the best plays out there. I was lucky enough to be involved in a performance and was to be able to see it several times over. It deals with abortion, which is one of the most difficult and emotionaly charged topics out there. I found it very fair to both the pro-choice and the pro-life views. Maybe the pretense is a little odd, but the lines are so fabulous, and really emotional. All of the characters are sympathetic, except for Cole. Ms. Martin has done a really fantastic job with Keely and Du. I'm sorry that some people have seen bad performances of it - directors who hire bad actors for this should be shot. I cannot recommend this enough.

After reading this play and then seeing it performed on the stage I have to say it is one of the most thought provoking and powerful play's I have seen.

This play concentrates on the relationship between two women one for abortion one against. If you do not look into the text and see the undercurrents and emotions running just under the surface you can get to hung up on small details that are only in the play to try and give it some placing and context. When you begin to analyse the text you realise that the words may seem meaningless at first but look at how they are said, and compare them to other parts of the play, and you not only get great insight into the personalities of these two people but begin to see how a relationship develops between the two women although they are dramatically opposed. The people being portrayed are just normal everyday people so an over complicated, over emotional dialogue would just not fit the situation and end up more like and episode of Beverly Hills 90210. If you want a thought provoking play that shows you both sides of a hard subject then don't miss this one.