The Diviners Character Analysis

Before I saw The Diviners at SEMO I had no previous knowledge of the story, other than reading at callbacks a few months before. I talked to a few of my friends who were involved in the show and they told me that it was intense and that it would make me depressed. They were right. The Diviners was a great production because of the acting by Zach Coop and Cynthia Thomas and also because of the added character that the director Kaylin White created for the show, Buddy’s dead mother, played by Alex Jarvis. Buddy Layman, the main character in The Diviners, was portrayed by Zach Coop in a very believable manner. Buddy has a lot of mental issues, however he is not a dumb boy. Zach played this character with honesty and a realness that made him
The mother, played by Alex Jarvis, opened the show by entering singing “Amazing Grace” acapella and creating a soothing environment for not only the actors but the audience members as well. Throughout the performance, she would enter the stage and watch over Buddy and his sister Jennie Mae, played by Merritt Tressler, when they were in situations that affected their lives. Kaylin made sure to place Buddy’s mother onstage when Buddy needed a hand, or when Jenny Mae was experiencing feelings that she’d never felt before. The direction of this character was very well done and I applaud the interpretation that Kaylin White brought to the table. The Diviners at SEMO was a production that really opened my eyes to how creative a director can be and how difficult it can be to have to play a character with a disability. The performances by Zach Coop and Cynthia Thomas stood out to me because of their honesty and believability. Kaylin White did an amazing job directing the talented cast and creating a show with a new and intriguing interpretation. Overall, I enjoyed the performance