Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – In the wonderfully immersive THE WIND AND THE RAIN, Hurricane Sandy unleashes ghosts of the past

• By drediman
• October 11, 2024
• No Comments

Last night, I ventured out to Red Hook, I’m sorry to admit, for the first time (I even took the NYC Ferry there, another first!) to catch Vineyard Theatre and En Garde Arts’ co-production of The Wind and the Rain by Sarah Gancher. The site-specific production chronicles the history of Sunny’s Bar and the people who operated and frequented the storied Red Hook watering hole. It uses Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it wrought as the catalyst for unleashing ghosts of the past, in particular following several generations of the Balzanos family — Italian immigrants who established the bar upon arriving in New York — and their close associates over the course of more than a century.

In short, experiencing this fascinating and unique piece was well worth the trip. The Wind and the Rain is a sprawling work of theater, expertly told by a small ensemble of top notch actors and a live band comprised of rotating local music talent. Together, they weave a wide-angle tapestry of a community across the decades (and beyond). Although a lot of story is packed within the play’s frame, the piece breathes and contracts fluently over the expanse of the time that it covers, thanks largely to a collapsing sense of time and the production’s communal and intimate storytelling, which immerses audiences into the narrative with a few gentle nudges. Although the saga ultimately celebrates Red Hook and the land (and water) it sits on, Gancher also incorporates the harsh realities and numerous challenges faced by the community’s resilient denizens, especially the women.

The ambitious production — which begins at the century-old Waterfront Museum Barge (an inspired venue and where most of the performance takes place) and ends on the doorstep of Sunny’s — could easily have been a tedious patchwork. But as directed by Jared Mezzocchi, The Wind and the Rain is seamlessly executed — even incorporating technology in thoughtful and intriguing ways — and beautifully captures the spirit and atmosphere of Sunny’s. The accomplished and hardworking cast of four is absolutely terrific, pivoting across a myriad of vivid characters with astonishing ease (Jen Tullock as the long-suffering proprietress who ushered Sunny’s, with much difficulty, to its current incarnation is a beguiling standout). Together, they exemplify ensemble work at its finest.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE WIND AND THE RAIN
Off-Broadway, Play
Vineyard Theatre and En Garde Arts at the Waterfront Museum Barge (Red Hook)
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Through October 27