Mountains at the Colony Theatre: Review

Mountains Review by Daryl H. Miller, LA Weekly, July 4-10, 1997

Rick Garman’s new play is, quite literally, a matter of life and death — a compelling inquiry into an ill person’s quality of life and the point at which death becomes the preferable alternative. Compassionate and surprisingly good humored, this story is especially timely in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling on assisted suicide. The action unfolds in snippets of a court trial and flashbacks to events as they occurred. It’s love at first sight for Alan (Chris Thomas) and Corey (Jack Armstrong), yet the relationship is never easy. Corey, for instance, must leave a wife (Susan Savage) and young daughter to begin a new life with Alan. When AIDS further complicates their lives, love, respect and duty are all put to the test. Garman, who also wrote the AIDS drama 17 Days, juggles a staggering number of issues with ease. Still, he missteps by hinging one of the major plot points on improbability. Scott Segall directs the constant fluidity, and the performances are mostly outstanding. Armstrong is a charmer, while Ursula Martin is a tangle of emotions as Alan’s friend. Leslie Bartlett plays a dynamo defense lawyer, and Tim O’Hare makes for a thundering presence as an opportunistic prosecuting attorney.