Review by Amalisha HuEck
Jay Sefton in Unreconciled - Photo Credit: Andrew Greto
This solo play co-written by Jay Sefton and Mark Basquill and performed by Jay Sefton is a true representation of an actor's courage to go beyond his rage to bring out a healing process to victims around the country, sexually abused by priests. Heavy topic, indeed!
From a genuine, raw, honest and intimate place of portraying a dozen different characters, Sefton's story is brought out with such finesse. Never encountering a victim consciousness, he brings out our imaginations with all the details for the audience to experience too as he enacts the events by the way of his character's portrayal.
Jumping from character to character with no effort at all, the transitions are quick and precise from voice interpretation to body and face gestures, especially the holding of the cigarettes and smoking. It's almost hard to express how incredibly fabulous a job Jay Sefton is accomplishing. One must see it to understand the power of characterization and all the healing he brings.
This staged docu-drama starts with an actor trying to pitch a solo show and emphasizing how an actor says, 'Yes' to everything, in order to survive he/she takes whatever one is lucky to get, especially if the acting comes around for the second time in his 50's. He emphasizes the importance of theatre's capacity of telling the truth.
Originally from Philadelphia Jay is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) today helping many victims of various terrifying abuses. Through the love and support of his family, his father's and mother's images bring us vividly, not just the emotions through words but also the smells and the images of their environment. The joy about their son, a well behaved Catholic boy, and his future; then the rage they experience, particularly towards Father Smith, who is a creep with shark eyes, asking for forgiveness when exposed. Jay takes us through an emotional rollercoaster from trusting people, to hurt, to fear, to anger, to acceptance and finally to courage to face and overcome it all. Unreconciled is brilliantly written and superbly acted.
Geraldine Hughes successfully directed the play and Melanie Freedom Flynn is the stage manager. The lighting designer is Zoila N.Wiseman and the sounds, and projections are the work of Brian Stanton. Anita Lee gives us publicity.
The run of the show is from March 21 through March 31, at Moving Arts in Atwater Village - 3191 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. Performances of this 80 minute true story are Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm with the last performance on Monday, March 31st at 8:00 pm. For tickets and information go to MovingArts.org.
Since Jay lives in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, 'The world premiere of UNRECONCILED was produced at Chester Theatre Company in Chester, Massachusetts. It opened on July 5, 2024, under the artistic leadership of James Barry and Tara Franklin. It was directed by James Barry.'
The show is dedicated to the elimination of sexual and domestic violence and all forms of interPersonal violence through Peaceoverviolence.org and through the Survivors Network of those abused by priests snapnetwork.org
Jay Sefton will lead a peer support group for survivors on Tuesday April 1, at 12:30-2:00 pm at Moving Arts Theatre. All survivors are welcome.
Jay Sefton in Unreconciled - Photo by Melenie Freedom Flynn