A Production Worth the Trip at the Hole in The Wall Theatre in the Heart of New Britain
The latest production at the Hole in the Wall Theatre located on 116 Main Street in New Britain, titled “Appropriate” shows how community theatre can demonstrate the same strong emotions and intensity as professional productions. The Tony Award-winning drama delivered a difficult yet powerful story about family, racism, and how the past connects to the present.
The play takes place in an Arkansas home that was once a plantation following a group of siblings after their father’s death as they determine how his estate will be distributed. Starting as a family reunion, the play eventually develops into a series of arguments, physical fights, and revelations that showcase the kind of person their father was. A huge highlight of the play is the family discovering disturbing racist photographs once owned by their father and how they deal with his racist past. Overall, I was drawn into the plot of the story. The actors did an excellent job portraying the challenges of dealing with major life issues, such as losing a loved one, resolving past family conflicts, and accepting circumstances to move toward the future.
The cast played their roles with great confidence. They brought the characters to life, making them feel truly human by capturing their flaws and contradictions. The show made me feel as if I was witnessing a private dispute not meant for public view. The production also balanced humor with many dark themes. As parts of the script drifted between comedy and drama, the cast handled these transitions smoothly. Many of the play’s technical elements influenced its successful conclusion. At the end of the play, the house appeared abandoned as the lights flickered every few moments, with certain parts of the interior falling apart each time. Rather than adding too much to the story, this aspect highlighted the characters’ relationships and how their inability to get along led to the abandonment of their father’s home.
Even though Appropriate can be a difficult watch because it covers topics such as family dysfunction, racism, and how people confront the past and its harsh reality, it draws in viewers, making them want to understand the tension the family now experiences. After watching this play, it is completely fair to say that Hole in the Wall Theatre Company put on a production that helped me better understand the world around me and what shapes individuals. Overall, “Appropriate” earns a four-out-of-five-star rating. I recommend coming to New Britain’s Hole in the Wall theater to experience their production of this Tony Award-winning play.
