REVIEWS

WILD ABOUT HARRY
Monday, September 25, 2017
"The Last Séance by Jennifer Berman, Dorothy Dietrich, Dick Brookz and Jane Mallison of Houdini Museum in Scranton attended the opening performance of Jennifer Berman's new play The Last Séance at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York
on Monday. The play will run for two more performances on September 29 and October 1st. As you'll read in their guest review below, this is one not to be missed!
If you are within range of New York City, run don’t walk to see Jennifer Berman’s new play The Last Séance at The Hudson Guild Theater as part of their New York Theater Festival. It is set against the
backdrop of the early twentieth century. Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle confront each other over the emerging, widespread and growing phenomenon of Spiritualism. While devoted follower Doyle embraces the ability to contact and talk to the dead, Houdini is an anti-Spiritualist crusader. Almost everything about this production goes beyond expectation. At the very top of the list is the lead Justin Chevalier, who plays Houdini, and is as good as it gets. Good looking and reminiscent of Houdini, short of statue, but tall in presence he exudes the kind of confidence one would imagine of the
legendary superstar.
There are four other actors in the presentation, Jim Haines, who plays Doyle, has a large build that is physically larger than Houdini, but clearly not of the intellect of Houdini, though the part is written in a positive and intelligent manner, not cartoon like which would be the easy way to go.
The other three actors play multiple parts in the show. Isabel Schnall plays Lady Doyle and Margery (in a blond wig). As Lady Doyle, she sometimes is a little laid back and not always up front enough, but still very good and winsome. She totally changes as Margery being very sexy, brash and up front. Megan Ghorashy plays Bessie Houdini and spiritualist Eusapia Palladinio. Two widely different characters that she plays well, once you can in your mind make the transition.
Last but not least is Michael Fidalgo who plays 5 or 6 characters that by the end blend into one. Doyle’s son, Sir Oliver Cabot Lodge, Pheneas, Hereward Carrington, and and Margery’s husband, the enigmatic Dr. Crandon.
This show richly deserves a much wider showing, which in our minds could even extend to Broadway."
-Dick Brookz, Dorothy Dietrich, and Jane Mallison.
TIMES SQUARE CHRONICLES
The Last Séance Brings Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Back To Life
"If you love Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, you will love Jennifer Berman’s new play The Last Séance part of the NY Summerfest at the Hudson Guild Theater. This well thought out play, follows two of the biggest celebrities of their age, starting with their first meeting. Doyle, the famed creator of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, and Houdini, the illusionist and escape artist who became one of the world’s highest-paid entertainers were from vastly different backgrounds. Doyle (Jim Haines) was a well educated Brit and a Catholic, Houdini (Justin Chevalier) a self-educated Jewish Hungarian immigrant. Brought together by a shared interest in spiritualism, it was also spiritualism that destroyed this unlikely friendship.
Doyle embraces the ability to contact and talk to the dead, Houdini was an anti-Spiritualist crusader. When Doyle’s wife, Jean (Isabel Schnall), becomes a self-proclaimed medium using automatic writing and attempts to contact Houdini’s mother, cracks in the men’s relationship begin to appear. When Houdini publically denounced mediums, including Doyle’s wife, their relationship brakes down. After Houdini’s death, his widow, Bess (Megan Ghorashy), hoped that her husband might make contact and give her message using a prearranged code, but he never does.
Justin Chevalier, as Houdini is a find. He understands the difference between the showman and the man. His performance is layered and intelligent. Jim Haines, as Doyle, doesn’t connect as strongly, but grows in his performance. Isabel Schnall and Megan Ghorashy play multiple roles and succeed in making each one unique and different. Only Michael Fidalgo who plays multiple characters doesn’t bring the magic.
Director Andrew Glant-Linden, does a excellent job in keeping the play moving and engaging. A huge shout out goes to Patrick Bakalli for his production design, which is outstanding.
Jennifer Berman has done a wonderful job at bringing history to life. There is a huge call for shows based on these two men and she has a winner. Though she has not given herself credit Ms. Berman has done a fabulous job at costuming the show. For a show of this kind, all elements need to come together and I am going to predict this show has a life beyond this festival."
