To many, it may to be hard to find the location of The Upstream Theater. It seems to be almost always disregarded since it lies right next to the Fox Theater which takes away all the attention with its bright lights and huge signs. Many theater fanatics will probably go through their lives without even hearing of this small theater. But do not let the popularity and size mislead you; it produces quality plays that many critics have never even heard of.
Many of us can remember the tragedies of the Second World War and how the Nazis terrorized millions of people. Their essential goal was the final solution, the extermination of the Jewish population. But it was not only Jews who were victims of the Nazis’ ruthless brutality. People who had mental and physical disabilities were targets of the Nazis as well.
In Upstream Theater’s latest play, Helver’s Night, a young, mentally challenged man with the mind of an adolescent faces the challenges of the Nazi regime during the time of World War II in a small European village.
Helver lives with his guardian Karla in their modest home which includes a small kitchen and a living area. One day, Helver comes home marching and wielding a flag. The symbol on the flag is not a swastika, but the meaning is eminent.
He tells Karla about his day and how he learns to march like a real soldier. He informs her of how he received the flag from the leader of a band of militants. He repeatedly shouts about how he must track down the “carcasses,” or, by the definition of the militants, someone who is something other than themselves.
As young Helver goes on describing the methods of training that were initiated that very day, Helver’s guardian Karla comes to the horrifying realization that Helver may be considered one of those “carcasses” by his new “friends”.
As the play goes on, it takes a dramatic turn for the worse. The tension climaxes until the ending scene where Karla makes a stunning decision that leaves the viewers speechless. But you will have to see the play to find out what happens.
The play was directed by Phillip Boehm. I am grateful that I have family connections with him or else I would have never gotten the chance to see this superb play.
Christopher Harris does an outstanding job portraying the innocent mind of a child trapped inside a mature man’s body. The producers and writers picked the right actor to display this character. Karla, the guardian of Helver, was played by Linda Kennedy. She succeeded as an actress in grabbing the viewer’s emotions with her superior performance in the play.
I am usually the type to go see movies rather than plays. But in this case, the play did not fail to keep my attention. What I enjoyed the most about the play was the emotional punch it delivered at the end. As the play went on the viewer could tell that things were not getting better as the tension accumulated.
Helver’s Night gets four and a half out of five stars in my book because of the riveting story line, outstanding acting and an overall great performance from the whole crew. This is an impressive play that you should consider taking time to see.  