There are two more opportunities to see Paul Linke’s
beautiful work in progress"Time."
I’ve
known this actor/director/father for a long time. After the death of his beautiful wife, Paul took to the
stage to work out deep feelings and the issue of becoming a single dad. His three kids were tiny. The wound was deep.
Success with his first show, “Time
Flies When You’re Alive” lead to an HBO special and his career as an actor has
blossomed over time. The man is a
raconteur and knows his way with words. He knows the spaces in between them that
necessarily must be respected.
In this “work in progress” edition of what has
become a trilogy of monologues, Paul discusses his life in terms that deal
with Jim Morrison and The Doors; the death of the mother of his
three children, Francesca; a forced march by Kate Mulgrew to discover new love in his life. He tells the story of his daughter, Rosie, asking
one day if they would ever get a new mom.
"Do you want one?" "YES!"
Linke mounts the bare stage with a few family projections and a heart full of
love to recount his life… so far. It
is tender and touching. At one point Paul stops momentarily to edit and admits that there
was something that may have gone in that blank space, but with a smile tells us
that it’s not going in today.
The writing is natural and flows easily from comedic moments
to one sad ones. The stories are supplemented by
relevant projected images that inform the piece.
The Ruskin is a funky little space with about forty or fifty
seats. The audience on Sunday, a
full house, sat rapt by Linke’s easy manner. I heard someone say, “You made me cry.” He smiled and said, “That was my
intention.” The piece is a beautiful
tribute to his friends, his kids and his wife of almost 25 years, Christine.
Two more Saturday shows remain at 5PM: April 23 and April 30,
2016 at The Ruskin Theatre at the
Santa Monica Airport. It’s a small
space, so reservations are a must. Make one.
michaelsheehan
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