Review by David Marlowe
"Misery"
Adapted from the book by Stephen King
By Simon Moore
Paragon Theatre
The Phoenix Theatre: 10/1-10/29
 
Director Warren Sherril deftly increases the voltage on Stephen King's "Misery" until it very nearly electrified its opening night audience. Besides his impeccable casting of this stage thriller, Sherril has paced the show for jaw-tightening suspense. Emily Paton Davies and Tom Borrillo will nail you to your seat. Both actors get a chance to shine as never before. In the role made famous by Kathy Bates, Ms. Paton Davies is sadistic psycho perfection that will creep you out! Her ingenious facial and physiological shifts are chilling. Mr. Borrillo embodies sheer terror as romance novelist Paul Sheldon, the helpless victim of his "number one fan." The volatile chemistry created by these two actors sets the stage ablaze! The fragmentary scenic design created by David LaFont lets tangential lines suggest mental imbalance visually. The lighting design by Mel Strasser emphasizes the characters' psychological states with bolts of searing white light. The original score created by Michael Andrew Doherty is superb. Doherty's complex sound design lends a layered richness and auditory clarity to the proceedings which is formidable. His music bridges the scenes by leading us as audience into the illusory world of the mentally disturbed.
 
Not for the faint of heart, fans of serious drama of the truly dark variety will be dazzled. Must be seen !

See also: http://www.coloradobackstage.com/reviews/paragon/misery.shtml for another review of Misery.