Radium Girls glow
Illuminating drama at Claire vg
by Sally Lubetich
In the early 1900s, radium was the latest and greatest cure-all for everything from cancer to rheumatism. It was added to tonics and beauty aids and also used to illuminate dials for clocks and other instruments.
Radium Girls, directed by Shawn Fuller, is the gripping story of the young factory workers who painted radium on watch faces and dials.
Standout performances abound throughout this production, most notably the Radium Girls themselves. Brianna Purdie, Michelle Purdie, and Delaney Saul are the young, naïve teens who are just happy to have good paying jobs and promising futures. Brianna is superb as Grace, the courageous young woman whose bright future comes to a painful halt as she deals with the loss of her friends, the deterioration of her body, and her own personal battle for justice.
Radium Girls Brianna Purdie, Delaney Saul and Michelle Purdie tempt fate in the production of the same name opening this week at Lynden's Claire vg Thomas Theatre. - Photo credit: Christopher Key
Christopher Key gives an outstanding performance as Mr. Roeder, the ethically conflicted president of the US Radium Corporation. Patrick Lee is excellent as the greedy company man, Mr. Lee. Beth Tyne and Josh Henry are great as the competing news reporters offering their own bit of whimsy to the story while at the same time showing us the ravenous side of the press. Earl Reid shows off his acting chops in his many diverse characters, including the corporate scientist who knows the effects of exposure first hand. Rounding out the cast are five very talented women (Susan Duncan, Christy Ham, Carole May, Joan Prinz, and Ramona Stumpf) who play a variety of pivotal characters.
So often stories like these are told as great courtroom drama, or from the perspective of the “white knight” swooping in to save the day, à la Erin Brockovich. Radium Girls is about the girls and the far-reaching effect their personal ordeal had on public health and safety. Does this sort of thing still happen? Is it limited to just America? Just asking the questions throws light on the subject.
Radium Girls runs from February 17th through March 7th at the Claire vg Theater, 655 Front Street in Lynden. For tickets and show information call 360-354-4425 or on the Web at http://www.clairevgtheatre.org/
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