The term "one-man-show" sparks fear into the hearts of actors and audience members alike. As an audience member, you are faced with one actor, who may or may not be able to carry an entire narrative on their back. When an actor hears the dreaded "one-man-show," all they can imagine is learning innumerable lines, and standing on stage as the only person to convey emotional depth. No one is there to lean on if you flub a line.

You're just there...naked...exposed...alone. (Not really naked...it's a metaphor.) It's a terrifying, daunting task, and an actor has to inhabit the character whom they are portraying in order to pull it off. Last night, Ryan Williams did just that in River City Repertory's production of "Buyer And Cellar."

"Buyer And Cellar," written by Jonathan Tolins, is about an struggling actor's unconventional job in Barbra Streisand's basement mall.

In 2010, Streisand published a book, "My Passion For Design" about her New England home tucked away in Malibu, which includes a gigantic storage area in her basement. She converted the storage into a lavish underground shopping mall, complete with a sweet shop, a dress store, and a doll boutique among others.

That's the truth of the play. The rest is pure fiction, as we are told at the very front of the show by our actor, Alex More (Williams). After that, More takes us on a 90 minute journey, nearly non-stop, weaving us through a story that, at first, seems completely unbelievable, but grabs us and takes us in as complete and utter truth. The play highlights More's struggle with this crazy job, all the while making sure his only customer is satisfied. As the narrative unfolds, we find it delves into subjects such as the price of fame, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. The story is silly, funny, warm, and at times very deep and sad. Truly, a mountain to climb for any actor.

Enter Ryan Williams.

Williams entered the stage at the start of the play ready to perform! There was no lag in energy. There was no letting up. Williams grabbed us at the first line, and kept us captivated for 90 minutes as he spat out dialog like a gatling gun. His performance was so nuanced, that it was hard at times to recognize this was an actor playing another actor. It felt like Williams was just up there, telling a story that happened to him. Where Williams excelled was his slight posture adjustments or vocal inflection changes that would hop from one character to the next. Whether it was More, the demeaning boyfriend, the calloused assistant, or the lady of the house herself, we knew who was talking because of Williams' near flawless performance.

Patrick McWilliams' direction and set design was subtle, but that's what a show like this needs. The sparse lighting design by Marissa Brown was effective in transitioning in and out of the subterranean mall. All in all a most excellent performance!

At only about 90 minutes (with no intermission), you can see this great show, and still have time for an evening out! And it is well worth it.

Whether you're a Barbra fan or not, make plans to take in "Buyer And Cellar." The show runs through Jan 31, so see it while you still can! You'll come away with some great memories to light the corner of your mind.

For tickets and more information about River City Repertory's production of "Buyer And Cellar," CLICK HERE.

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