Compelling Cast Boosts UWM's 'Nature of Mutation'

UW-Milwaukee's appealing production of John Walch's <em>The Nature of Mutation </em>tells the tale of a private prep school that is given a large donation in exchange for teaching “intelligent design” as part of its curriculum.<br /><br />The idea is topical, but as it plays out, the script starts to feels like a weak collection of allegories. The school gives students smartphones that become an analogy for religion. A rampant dog represents the first man to identify himself as an agnostic. Chalk is everywhereand it's symbolic.<br /><br />But there's also genius to UWM's staging. Under the direction of Bill Watson and the stylish costuming of Pamela J. Rehberg, the cast coalesces into a unit that provides compelling dramatic moments in the service of a less-than-inspired script.<br /><br />Cheong-Hyeon Park plays the son of a woman looking to change the curriculum in honor of his older brother. Park is charming as a teenager looking to find meaning in a dark world. Julia Huryk matches his charm as an impoverished girl paying lip service to Christianity in the interest of getting a scholarship. It is fun to watch Huryk, who has a very clever grasp of subtle comedy. Glenn Widdicombe makes a memorable appearance as Huxley, a mid-19th-century agnostic biologist. It can be difficult to portray an intellectual hero in a dramatic way, but Widdicombe does so with deftness.<br /><br />UWM's <em>The Nature of Mutation </em>closed March 11. The university's next theatrical production is <em>Mr. Marmalade</em>, the story of a girl with an adult imaginary friend. That show runs March 30-April 1. For ticket reservations, call 414-229-4308. <p> </p>