Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Walpole Footlighters second show of their 94th season is “Radium Girls” by D.W. Gregory. In 1926, radium was a miracle cure, discovered b Madame Curie, an international celebrity while luminous watches were the latest rage until the girls who painted them began to fall ill with a mysterious disease. Inspired by a true story, “Radium Girls” traces the efforts of Grace Fryer, a dial painter, as she fights for her day in court. Her chief adversary is her former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who can’t bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees.
As the case goes on, however, Grace finds herself battling not only with the U.S. Radium Corporation, but with her own family and friends, who fear her campaign for justice will backfire. It shows America’s obsession with wealth, health and the commercialization of science. It delivers a strong message about greed in the business world and the uncaring feeling and attitude during the early twentieth century. It sounds familiar in this century, too. Director Marianne Phinney casts ten talented performers in these roles. She obtains strong performances from them especially the two leads and the other cast members playing multiple roles.
She blends the comic and dramatic moments wonderfully. The exposition scene pacing in Act 1 needs to be picked up while the dramatic prowess of Act 2 sends you reeling with the pathos and gut wrenching performances. The greed and avarice of Big Business comes through while waiting for the poor victims to die so they won’t have to settle their cases. It is disgusting behavior which is still being felt in this country today with high prices of medication. Someone just paid $807 for a vial of Insulin which is mind boggling. The more things supposedly change the more they stay the same. The unit factory set is by Peter O’Farrell while Kate Smith handles the period costumes. Fabulous performances from Ashley Harmon as Grace Fryer and Mark Adams as Arthur Roeder. Her Jersey accent is terrific and she delivers a tear jerking, dramatic tour de force performance as this tragic figure. Mark’s line delivery is dynamite and he commands every scene he’s in. It proves that you can take a 30 year hiatus and come back gang busters in this well written role.
The other eight cast members play their multiple roles wonderfully. Finley Smith and Cynthia Small play the other Radium girls in the company while George Motley and Woody Farrick play the company villains and Paul Campbell plays a fake doctor who is really a PHD scamming the girls for the Radium Company. Joe Rich and Shelley Wood supply some laughs during the proceedings with him as Grace’s boyfriend and her as Arthur’s wife as does Ninette Cummings as a sob sister reporter. So for a look back at a tragic time in America’s past, be sure to catch “Radium Girls” at Walpole Footlighters. It shows corporate America only cares about the almighty dollar over the lives of their workers. It will definitely tug on your heartstrings. This whole season is dedicated to the memory of Barbara Pettis who passed away last year. She was a member of the group from 1972 to 2017.
RADIUM GIRLS (2 to 18 February)
Walpole Footlighters, 2 Scout Road, Walpole, MA
1(508)668-8446 or www.footlighters.com
