You can read the Barter website's review of this unusual play by following the link listed above. Or you can read my take on it.
Almost the entire play was sung by the actors with a piano accompaniment that unfortunately occasionally drowned out the voices. Scenery was creative but at a minimum with almost all the action taking place on a bus between North Carolina and Oklahoma.
Violet is traveling from her isolated home in the Appalachian mountains with the hope of ridding herself of the facial scar she suffered in an accident. Her destination is Oklahoma where she plans to attend the service of a faith-healer evangelist she has watched on television. The playwright chooses to tell the story of Violet's relationship with her father and the accident and its consequences by spotlighting another younger actress and the father in moments interspersed with the present-day bus trip. The songs emphasize the shame and anger of the young Violet and the guilt and distress of the father. The playwright also chooses to present Violet without any facial scarring and the actress must communicate this flaw by touching her face and through song.
At the same time, the present Violet rides along on the bus meeting various people who react to her scarred face. There are two soldiers, one white and one African American, who are reporting for assignment to Viet Nam. By Memphis, Violet is involved in a complicated relationship with each fellow. Remember, only a little of this is spoken dialogue. The lyrics of the songs caused me to listen closely to keep up with the action as well as to appreciate the wit and the character development.
In Oklahoma, Violet believes a miracle has happened even though her encounter with the tv evangelist is an emotionally wrenching disappointment. But reinforced by a Gospel choir she does undergo some kind of inner healing. The audience members must decide whether her scar is still there or whether it is gone. Certainly a change has taken place and the evolving relationships with the soldiers illustrate this change.
It seems to me that the playwright is saying that Violet's low self-esteem due to the scar is no longer controlling her decisions at the end, but I question whether fully entering into a love match is the desired denouement. Perhaps her increased self-esteem could be better established by Violet engaging with the world with or without a scarred face without depending on a man caring for her so she can think better of herself.
Mimi
