TV SERIES
Sisters in Conflict
Maryland (PBS Passport)
When British sisters Becca and Rosaline get the call that their mother has died on the Isle of Man, they are both mystified and sad. Why was she there so far from home and what was she doing? On a journey of discovery, these very different people, Rosaline, an independent career woman, and Becca, a put-upon wife and mother, disagree and rub each other the wrong way as they struggle to parse out the strands of their mother’s life and better understand each other.
I found the tension between the sisters and their disparate world views convincingly captured. The sisters were well cast. Seeing Stockard Channing as friend Kathy, she who played stalwart First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the The West Wing, was an added treat. I found this 3-episode series engrossing and enjoyable.
French Justice
Bellefond (PBS Passport & Prime Video)
Prosecutor Antoine Bellefond is so stunned by a courtroom incident, that he takes a leave of absence. When his niece in Provence calls him for help, he returns to his hometown where his brother-in-law has been accused of murder. Along with three of his star law students, he takes up the case and works to prove Christophe’s innocence.
Bellefond is a diffident yet caring individual whose placid façade occasionally lights up with a smile. His and his students’ methods are unusual to irregular, and likely not always within the realm of the law. I found it a different take on crime investigation mixed in with the students’ foibles and attractions, sometimes for one another. In French with subtitles, the first season is just 2 standalone episodes. Season 2, also 2 episodes, is not yet available.
RALEIGH THEATER
Justice Theater Project
Cabaret
The Justice Theater Project presents dramas about individuals affected by social injustice. Their Cabaret, which the Chief Penguin and I had previously seen at the Asolo Theatre in Sarasota, was raw and intense. Although set in Berlin during the rise of Nazism in 1929-30, it is timely viewing for today’s audiences.
Most of this company’s productions are presented on a small stage at the Umstead Park United Church of Christ. The sets are minimal, and the sound system is basic, but the musicians and actors were passionate and fully engaged.
I do think that the play itself spends too much time on introducing the Kit Kat Klub and the principals before it approaches the heart of the matter. It was still a compelling performance, and Fraulein Schneider and Cliff Bradshaw were exceptionally well played characters. Performances run through June 23rd.
Note: Header photo of TV screen courtesy of applicationsTV.
