Review of Haven Theatre's Last Train to Nibroc

Once upon a time I went to a show and it was called Last Train to Nibroc. It was by Arlene Hutton and it was directed by Jason Gerace. It was about this woman named May (Amanda Drinkall) who was going on a train back home and she meets this army man named Raleigh (Mike Tepeli) and they become very good friends on the train. But then over time a romance starts to blossom but she already has a boyfriend who is a preacher. But then they have dinner together and the romance starts to happen again. It is about jealousy, regret, and love. I really really loved this show. I thought it was great because it was comedic and also sometimes you wanted to cry.

Usually I just pick my favorite scenes to write about, but there were only three scenes and I liked them all! The first scene was when they met on the train and at first it seemed like May was concerned about Raleigh disturbing her and not being a nice person. I think you really see their relationship evolve over the show. You really want them to get together and that is what you want throughout the entire show. You start thinking they should be together because it is clear by the end of the scene that they are great friends. And you also see that Raleigh is kind of flirting with her a little bit. They seem to have so much fun together, they both love to read, and they have in common that they both have experienced loss of something they wanted. She has lost her boyfriend and he's lost his job as a soldier. But he decides to get a better job as a writer and I think she wants a better boyfriend.

In the second scene everything starts to go haywire. Their relationship starts to crack. She's dating someone else and she never showed up to the dinner that his parents prepared for them. She basically stopped the relationship by not showing up because she probably really embarrassed him. And we know that he hasn't gone to New York yet even though that's what he's wanted to do this entire time. This entire scene you are just feeling sad because you think, they were so perfect for each other--why are they so mad now? I felt like it was really sad when he kept saying "Do you love him?" and she didn't answer and it was very sad and very suspenseful because the thing is you think she might go with the preacher even though she doesn't love him.

In the last scene they seem like they are not enemies anymore and that seems good. But then something really funny happens. She is trying to show how her feelings for him are by saying "I just wanted to help you with your leprosy." But of course he doesn't have leprosy, he has epilepsy. Leprosy is way worse than epilepsy. With epilepsy you have fits, but with leprosy, like your toes and your nose falls off and terrible things like that. That shows you that she is kind of dim but also that she actually really loves him. I found that so funny and kind of touching that I just couldn't stop laughing. And you realize they have another thing in common, writing, because one of them has been writing letters to the other and one has been writing stories about the other. I feel like that is so sweet that they both have shown their affections even though they haven't been together that whole time. I think this one was my favorite scene in this play. I really did love this one.

I loved the set (by Joanna Iwanicka). I thought it was so beautiful. They had this beautiful backdrop that was a great background for every single moment in this show because the first time it looked more like train smoke because that is what you were expecting and then the next time it looked more like clouds, and then the time after that it looked more like a sunset. That was because of the lights (by Sarah Hughey). They just raised and lowered the panels that had the designs on them and I thought that was a really good use of not that much stuff.

People who would like this show are people who like amazing sets, comedic love stories, and trains. Nobody likes leprosy! I think people should definitely definitely go see this show. It is an amazing show and I loved it because it is a great story. And two great actors and a great story make an amazing show!

Photos: Austin D. Oie