NUNN'S THEATER HABIT
TimeLine Theatre Company releases Relentless
Thu. February 10, 2022 12:00 AM
by Jerry Nunn
TimeLine Theatre Company celebrates its 25th anniversary season with a world premiere called Relentless and they are certainly off to a good start. Company-member Tyla Abercrumbie wrote this impressive piece of work and Ron OJ Parson, also a company member directed the cast with a strong vision that pays off.
Relentless runs three hours and is not easy to watch, but by the end, you will want it to keep going thanks to dynamic performances and intriguing storylines that are woven together throughout.
Ayanna Bria Bakari plays Annelle and Jane Ladymore portrays her sister Janet who are staying at their mother's home in Philadelphia after her death to put their affairs in order. Janet discovers her mother's diaries hidden in a chest and a window to the past suddenly opens up.
The play moves forward then jumps back in time with an ease that could have been awkward if not handled correctly. When the various characters read the journals over beautiful tracks of classical music they come to life with reenactments that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The script is quite unpredictable and tackles tough topics. The production has perfect timing for Black History Month and also a few surprises for the LGBT community as well.
Bakari revs up in act two and displays acting skills that many people could learn from. The major theater companies could also take a lesson or two on how to convey a powerful tale as old as time. Relentless deserves to take home many awards in the future and hopefully extends its run after several sold-out shows.
Make haste to see this production before it closes on February 26, 2022 at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Avenue. Visit TimeLineTheatre.com for information and don't miss this story that will haunt you long after it is done!