PURPLE HEARTS

On 7 December 1941 the U S S West Vigrina took 7 torpedos and sank next to the U S S Arizona in Pearl Harbor. 70 sailors died, some were trapped below and perished after scribling notes on the ships walls. 40ish years after the fact, writer Burgess Clark wrote this play based on his ideas of how the end came for 3 sailors and fictionalized 3 characters and their lives.

Pretty serious stuff........and a damn well done play. A good play or movie for me needs to tell the story and they sure got the job done here. How would you act, react or live at the bottom of a torpedoed battleship ? Clark wrote in 3 pretty eccentric characters, their lives and 3 women in their lives. All 6 actors were totally believable and well portrayed in a great set, lots of shadows and spotlights and technically clean. Just a damn good story well done. Production and costume excellent with the 3 women portrayed in single spotlights above the set....somebody did a lot of thinking and work to put this together, needless to say it was well received here.

Negatives....always some ! 10 minutes after the lady did the opening and asked everyone to shut off their cell phones one jackass in the front row next to me gets a call ! Why do these jackoffs know where I am and always sit next to me? On a bigger scale and certainly not the fault of Las Vegas Little Theatre, their black box theatre is located right next door to Hells Angles motorcycle repair shop and my seat next to the adjoining wall. How and why you would be racing engines at 9 p m on a Thursday night I don't know but the sound was deafening and this in the midst of great dialogue which I really wanted and some of which I didn't get. LVLT needs to make a truce or muffle their neighbors !

So......... I had a great entertainment experience from great actors, directors and producers.

Researched U S S West Virgina which was commissioned in 1920 sank in 1941 and refloated in 1942 to return to duty, a great story here in itself, it was finally scrapped in 1959 after earning 5 battle stars. Having served in the military these stories are most meaningful to me.

LVLT is doing great work....98 A+ call 911 on your neighbors !

Contact me at edbrucevegas@yahoo.com