San Diego Junior Theatre Alumni

Roya Shanks

Roya Shanks is currently performing in “The Quotable Assassin” at Altered Stages, 212 West 29th Street, Chelsea, through Nov. 18; (212) 352-3101. Following is the New York Times review by Miriam Horn,Published: November 6, 2006. Find out more about Roya at www.royashanks.com This pairing of one-acts by 24-year-old Keith Boynton makes a perplexing evening: the first play seems the work of a callow youth, but the second reveals a strong talent with a blossoming mastery of his craft. “Walls,” about a grieving young woman unsettled by the reappearance of the lover who abandoned her, is a shambles. The story and characters never fully cohere, remaining patchworks of a few trite revelations; the deficiencies are only made worse by monochromatic performances and by Mr. Boynton’s own meandering direction. Then “The Quotable Assassin” begins. Directed by his mother, Sandra Boynton (best known for her children’s books and the Grammy-nominated CD “Philadelphia Chickens”), Mr. Boynton delivers a fierce, articulate performance as Simon Dubanev, a revolutionary awaiting execution for murdering his king. (Though his country remains unnamed, the historical parallels and music from Rachmaninoff’s Vespers suggest Russia.) He is visited in prison by a beautiful writer of society novels, Lucia Noss (Roya Shanks). Dressed in finely wrought taffetas and millinery by the costume designer Rachel Ford, Ms. Shanks finds in this heroine depths of vulnerability and moral courage beneath the polished manners and wit. Lucia has used her influence at court to keep Simon alive long enough for her to research her next novel. By turns contemptuous, flirtatious, vengeful and tender, they argue about politics and morality with a fire that makes it believable that men would surrender to either of them, even to their doom. Impassioned debates between radicals and reformers have a long literary lineage that includes Turgenev’s “Fathers and Sons,” Camus’s “Just Assassins” and Tom Stoppard’s “Coast of Utopia” (soon to open in New York). Mr. Boynton’s language is sufficiently vigorous and fresh (in this second play at least) to make him a talent worth watching. The major flaw of “The Quotable Assassin” is the jarring fast forward of plot in the final scenes. Mr. Boynton might consider ditching “Walls” and writing a true second act for his far more fascinating heroes.

Back