A View of “The Winter View”

By Deardra Shuler
Photo by Charles Rogers

The passages of life are clearly shown through Martha J. Thomas's play “The Winter View.” A Hadley Players production, “The Winter View” is directed by Ward Nixon and running at the Harlem School of the Arts Theatre, located at 647 St. Nicholas Avenue in Manhattan until November 21st.

The actors combine their forces to make this light romantic comedy a cat and mouse game with widower Amos (Ralph McCain) being the mouse and the single and widowed church members being the cats. A member and deacon of the Friendship Baptist Church, Amos's marriage comes to an end when his wife of over 40 years passes and suddenly Amos finds himself surrounded by eager church women determined to snatch him up. Just as determined to keep these women at bay is his daughter Samantha, who at age 40 is still trying to be Daddy's little girl. In the mix is Queenie (Valarie Tekosky) who was a life long friend of Amos and his wife. Queenie tries to be a source of comfort to Amos and Samantha in their time of grief and in a subtle way a mother figure to Samantha (Alexandra Foucard) whose ability to choose the right man and save money is poor at best.

Roscoe, Amos's best friend, is played by Rodney Sheley. Married, Roscoe seeks to live the single life vicariously through Amos. Thus, he is more than willing to push Amos into the arms of all the women. Seeing it as an opportunity to be the rooster in the hen house, Roscoe encourages Amos to take advantage of the ladies offers to cook, clean and just be available for “anything” anytime. At first, Amos is too busy missing his wife but with the continual nudging of Roscoe and the non stop advances of the women, Amos starts to like the attention.

The comic relief comes via the catty bickering of church women Mattie (Kimberlee Monroe) and Florence (Cooki Winborn) who while friends are competitors for Amos's affections. Each vies for Amos's attention by slicing each other up in his absence and behaving sweet and flirtatious in his presence. Flattered by all the attention Amos takes a ride on this merry-go-round of female attention to the consternation of his daughter who wants Daddy all to herself. That is Daddy and his wallet all to herself.

Realizing that Samantha is unable to keep money in the bank or a man, Amos begins to worry about his daughter's prospects and future. Especially since she has used up much of her trust fund on men who have refused to pay her back for the second time. Amos tires of fighting his grown daughter's battles and also worries whether he will have a future wife with Samantha around making certain her father does not get too close to another woman. He turns to Queenie for help and guidance and finds that love was closer to home than he realized.

“The Winter View” is a warm, witty and entertaining play that states love can be found within all the seasons of life, even in the winter of ones life.

I recommend this play.