Presented initially as a teleplay in 1975, “Love Among the Ruins” tells the story of forgotten love and a sense of longing. The original script for the televised film, written by James Costigan, has now been formally adapted for the stage by James G. Hirsch and Robert A. Papazian. PowPAC Theatre has brought this recent adaptation to San Diego for the first time.
Jessica Medlicott (Linda Englund), a once thriving and successful stage actress, now finds herself at the mercy of barrister Sir Arthur Granville-Jones (Lou Slocum) as she fights in a legal battle with her former fiancé, Alfred (Vincent Bossone). Sir Arthur is overcome with memories of his time with Jessica many years ago; however, she has no recollection of their romance. He fights with his duty as a barrister to protect his client and his love for the woman who stands before him.
The play premiered at Laguna Playhouse in 2022; PowPAC is the first community theatre in the country to produce it.
“Bob and I have been partners a long time,” said co-writer James G. Hirsch. “We did a lot of projects in the television business, but we were away from that, and we were doing some work at the Pasadena Playhouse. I turned to Bob, and I said, ‘You know, if we do work here, we should look at the old TV movies and see which ones would turn into a good play.’ And he looked at me, and he said, ‘Love Among the Ruins.’ We went and got the rights and started adapting it.”
PowPAC and Director Julia Smith have put on a great show that is perfect for the stage. Set Designer Alon Harrison has utilized the intimate theater with a two-space set that easily transformed from one room to another, and projections by Steve Murdock helped flesh out the story and provide context.
Englund and Slocum have good chemistry in the love story lost to time. Englund, as Jessica Medlicott, presents a stiff and refined front as the once-renowned stage actress, but reveals moments of uncertainty and humanity as the façade falters. Slocum, as Sir Arthur Granville-Jones, is torn between his heart and his profession. Some moments of his performance came off as a little too comical in scenes with a more dramatic tone, but it was not enough to detract from the story at hand.
A standout performance came from Aion Harrison as the Bailiff, who had few words but delivered nice, dry comedy every now and then. His performance elicited quite a bit of laughter from the audience.
This new adaptation from the screen to the stage has proven successful so far, and PowPAC’s production is well done. The show runs until Aug. 17 and is a fulfilling theatrical contribution to Poway and the surrounding San Diego area.
(Photo credit: Steve Murdock)
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