“The Things You Least Expect”
by Joan Vail Thorne
LA VOW THEATRE COMPANY presented Joan Vail Thorne’s provocative and amusing play THE THINGS YOU LEAST EXPECT on November 18 & 19 (7:30 p.m.) and 20 (2:30 p.m.) at Theatre Baton Rouge Studio,
7155 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, La 70806 .
In her late sixties, Clare Gardiner gets a second chance to follow her dreams of long ago to travel and pursue art. The play raises many questions about age, love, and self-fulfillment in life. Clare defies one of the most powerful taboos in our society when she and a much younger man, Sam, fall in love. Running off to Italy, she leaves her older sister Myra and daughter Caroline to worry and wonder about her escapades. She sends them emails that do not include any information about her young lover. Sam has convinced Clare that age doesn’t matter and encourages her to make the most of every moment. But when Sam becomes insanely jealous of her passion for painting, Clare sends him back to the United States where he becomes involved with Myra and Caroline. Myra becomes fond of Sam and Caroline falls in love with him, not knowing about his love for her mother. When Clare returns to Pennsylvania, she finds out Myra has put money aside for college for Sam and Caroline plans to marry him. But Sam realizes he loves Clare and can’t marry Caroline. The tension rises when Clare feels compelled to tell Myra and Caroline about her relationship with Sam; he takes the money, and Caroline becomes pregnant.
