Thingamajig Theatre Company is opening its second offering of the 2024-2025 winter season with “A Walk in the Woods,” Lee Blessing’s nuanced meditation on diplomacy, trust and the fraught dance of human connection.
Directed by Dennis Elkins and starring Thingamajig Artistic Director Tim Moore as Andrey and Scott Morehead as Jon, the production offers a thought-provoking exploration of Cold War tensions refracted through the deeply personal lens of its two protagonists.
At its core, “A Walk in the Woods” is a conversation — a seemingly simple yet layered exchange between two arms negotiators, one Soviet (Moore) and one American (Morehead). In the quiet of the woods near Geneva, far from the conference tables and flashing cameras, they navigate not just the politics of their time but the fragile terrain of understanding across ideological divides.
The play, written in 1988 but imbued with evergreen relevance, demands a directorial approach that balances the intellectual sparring with the emotional undercurrents. Elkins achieves this with a deft touch, allowing the tension between the characters to simmer just below the surface while never losing sight of the humanity within their carefully chosen words.
Mackenzie Lowe’s lighting design suggests shifts in mood and time without overwhelming the action. The interplay of soft washes and sharp contrasts evokes both the natural beauty of the titular woods and the uneasy dualities within the play itself. The use of projections, designed by JD Madsen, adds an unexpected yet welcome layer of depth. Forested backdrops subtly shift, mirroring the ebb and flow of the characters’ dialogue. This visual dynamism keeps the audience rooted in the moment.
Jill Fives’ work as charge artist adds warmth to the set with painted elements that feel both grounded and impressionistic, capturing the serenity of nature with a touch of abstraction.
Of course, a production of “A Walk in the Woods” lives or dies by its performances, and Thingamajig’s duo rises to the challenge.
Moore’s Andrey is magnetic, embodying the seasoned Soviet diplomat with a disarming blend of charm, weariness and cunning. Moore’s portrayal avoids the trap of caricature, offering instead a deeply humanized figure who reveals his vulnerabilities in the subtlest of gestures — a wistful smile, a pause weighted with meaning.
Opposite him, Morehead’s Jon provides an ideal foil. Where Andrey is affable and pragmatic, Jon is tightly wound and idealistic, a younger man grappling with the enormity of his task. Morehead captures the precise, often clipped rhythms of a man who believes in the righteousness of his cause but struggles with the compromises inherent in diplomacy.
Together, the two actors build a rapport that feels authentic and organic, their verbal sparring tinged with an unspoken yearning for connection and understanding.
In today’s world, where geopolitical tensions often feel as precarious as they did during the Cold War, “A Walk in the Woods” resonates in unexpected ways. Blessing’s script, with its delicate balance of wit, poignancy and philosophical inquiry, finds a fitting home in Thingamajig’s production.
Elkins’ direction and the uniformly excellent creative team ensure that the play speaks not only to its historical moment, but to the enduring challenges of human interaction in the face of conflict.
Thingamajig Theatre Company’s “A Walk in the Woods” is not to be missed this winter season. Whether you come for the sharp dialogue, the stunning visual presentation or simply the joy of watching two actors at the top of their game, you will leave the theater enriched — and perhaps, like the characters themselves, a bit more hopeful about the possibilities of connection.
Thingamajig Theatre Company’s production of “A Walk in the Woods” runs at the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts from Jan. 16 until Jan. 26. For tickets and more information, visit www.pagosacenter.org or call (970) 731-7469.