« “The Watch List” is a play to watch »

Rating: 3 out of Fordyce 

The first regular play to be performed in the Riverwalk Theatre’s “Black Box” is The Watch List. This original work by Lansing writer Eric Dawe is intriguing and thought-provoking. It is the story of a group that defends civil liberties against government repression that suddenly finds itself in the embarrassing position of having terminated one of its own employees because her name appeared on the federal government’s “Terror Watch List.”

The script is well written and keeps you guessing. It has a good set up, then quite a surprise, and then a resolution—well, sort of. Dawe also directs and acts in this play, and performs all three jobs well. Rick Dethlefsen and Justin Banks do well in their roles, and Heather Lenartson-Kluge is outstanding as one of the detectives. Jeff Magnuson was not nearly as good as her partner, Detective Gandolini. He overacted. Lindsay Palinsky is usually one of my favorites. In this show she played it way too seriously, and I had trouble hearing her.

All in all, this is a show to see. It gets a good 3 out of Fordyce.

My first trip into Riverwalk’s Black Box had two drawbacks. First, the acoustics are not very good, which is why I may have had trouble hearing Ms. Palinsky. The sound noticeably bounces off the high steel roof. Secondly, the chairs get the dreaded NO DICE. I know times are tough, but I was very uncomfortable sitting on a plastic yard chair from the $7.99 sale at the Big Mart. I was concerned that the weight limit on them was 200 lbs. I am somewhat heavier.