Undoing Salk

Starring Jarrod DiGiorgi, Albert Sabin

Directed by Robert…

Undoing Salk

Starring Jarrod DiGiorgi, Albert Sabin

Directed by Robert Benedetti

Pittsburgh Playhouse Repertory Company

Pittsburgh Playhouse

Through Feb. 22

(412) 621-4445

In the 1950s, Jonas Salk developed a polio vaccine that saved an entire generation. It was such a success that polio is a muted issue in our world today, and decreases in danger as the years go by.

The Pittsburgh Playhouse Repertory Company attempts to bring the story of Salk and his groundbreaking work to the stage in a new play by Robert Benedetti. The 90-minute show, “Undoing Salk,” spans 10 years of Salk’s life and shows that his journey to the cure was full of drama and hardships.

Salk’s determination in his work on the vaccine contrasts with his lack of dedication toward his wife and children. His relationship with his family is the most interesting part of the story, and unfortunately, Benedetti keeps us out of the home too much. Most of the play’s attention focuses on Salk’s work in the lab, and fails to ever directly connect with the hearts of the audience.

The concept for the show is a daunting one because, in all honesty, a play based on the history of polio is not exactly thrilling material. There is an overwhelming amount of scientific jargon thrown around in the script, and this is what ultimately holds back the production.

The intimate theater is the perfect place to perform a work of this nature, but the bare-bones set provides very little to hold your attention. Two screens on the back wall provide the most entertainment, with stills and video clips of events from the era, but it’s not enough. However, there are a few encouraging moments in the play.

The rather large cast for such a small play is full of exceptional actors. Jarrod DiGiorgi’s portrayal of Salk is as exciting as one can be with a lifeless script. The same can be said for the talented Martin Giles, playing Salk’s rival, Albert Sabin. The two men feed off of each other, and their energy keeps the show from falling apart.

“Undoing Salk” somehow manages to move at a quick pace and never gives you a moment to collect your thoughts. The amount of information on Salk that is crammed into an hour and a half is mind-numbing, and before you know it, an entire decade of his life has gone by.

The play will certainly educate you on the life of a fallen hero, but with the excessive scientific lingo and overall lack of entertainment, it will probably leave you feeling as if you just spent the night at the library instead of the theater.