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‘Searching for Eden’ in Roswell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THEATER REVIEW: ‘Searching for Eden: The Diaries of Adam & Eve’
And on the eighth day, the Lord said: “Let opposites attract.”
At least that’s the impression you get from Georgia Ensemble Theatre’s “Searching for Eden: The Diaries of Adam & Eve,” a romantic caper by American playwright James Still inspired by Mark Twain’s short stories.
The battle-of-the-sexes comedy follows Adam and Eve from their first meeting in Eden (no, it wasn’t love at first sight) through their fall from grace to their eventual return to Paradise.
Director Robert Farley infuses Twain’s wit with a modern-day sensibility and lets the sparks and barbs fly.
The whimsical set, dreamed up by scenic designer Jacob Ashworth, evokes the innocence of the Garden of Eden with candy-colored flowers, lush greenery and, of course, the apple tree. The softly lit moon and stars in the backdrop give the play a tranquil, bedtime-story feel.
 Innocence is personified by bubbly Eve (Rachel Sorsa), who takes delight in naming all of the creatures and babbling about everything she sees and feels. Bumbling Adam (David Marshall Silverman) doesn’t know what to make of this woman, or her whirlwind of emotions, and tries to flee from her clutch.
But the garden isn’t big enough for the two of them:
She wants to renovate everything, even the constellations in the sky.
He wouldn’t change a thing.
She is lonely.
He likes to be alone.
She says: “He never talks.”
He says: “She never stops.”
Sigh. Ain’t love grand?
The he-said-she-said humor a la “I Love Lucy” coasts with a familiar, comforting rhythm. And the actors have palpable chemistry. Sorsa plays Eve with a sly impishness. Though sometimes channeling an inner ditz that can be grating, she also reveals her character’s vulnerabilities with aplomb. Silverman shines as a simpleton, summoning an everyday guy who gets in touch with his sensitive side.
The second half of the show fast-forwards to the modern age.
With rolling luggage in tow, the couple returns to the garden, now a vacation resort named Eden Park. Sunglasses perched atop her perfectly coiffed head, studio executive Eve barks orders into her cellphone while middle-aged Adam, a couples therapist, dreams of rekindling their romance.
The two are eerily believable as the couple next door, warts and all. Eve whines about work; Adam tries desperately to distract her. Both have adapted remarkably well to modern living —- yet their core differences remain.
There are times when the pair’s nostalgia for Paradise feels forced, and periodic dips into sentimentality make you pray for more amusing repartee. And while some jokes hit their mark, others desperately lack originality. How much mileage can you get from the overplayed “Can you hear me now?”
Like Eve’s mood swings, the show hits highs and lows. It sings when the characters trade clever quips and sinks when the script searches for a greater purpose.
“Searching for Eden” throws out some lofty ideas, but does its best when it sticks to relationship banter.
One of the most piercing lines is Eve’s jab: “The things I loved about you in the beginning are the things that drive me crazy now.”
But from the start, this flawed couple drove each other nuts, and still they couldn’t escape fate: These two were made for each other.
THE 411: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Through Jan. 23. $16-$33. Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. 770-641-1260, www.get.org.
The verdict: Romp through paradise will tickle your ribs, but won’t leave you gasping for air.
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