Review: American Players Theatre Presents THE RIVER BRIDE Review — Old Wives’ Tales Come to Life

By Alexis Bugajski, Picture this Post

The air is bright with festivity in this fishing village as a family prepares for a wedding. Of course, there's still preparations to be made — the dress needs last minute alterations, and the fish still need to be caught for the banquet. And what wedding would be complete without family drama? In The River Bride, we discover how deep the two sisters’ love lives intertwine, with a hint of magic tossed in.

All our senses activate as we enter the Touchstone Theatre. It feels as though we’re venturing deep into the Amazon rainforest. A long dock winds itself around the center of the stage. A river could be rushing beneath its worn planks. Long vines and plant trellis hang from the backdrop. Blue, purple, and low lights make it feel like we’re beneath a dense canopy.

Two men climb into the rowboat tied to the dock and push off, presumedly to go cast their nets and fish. Three women follow, walking out on the dock to do the chores for the day. One sits on the edge and looks off into the distance. The other carries a laundry basket on her hip, dutifully following her mother. Just from this opening scene, we feel we already have a look into the family dynamic

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