If the University Theater’s production of "Fifth of July" was a puppet, then chaos was its puppet master. A throwback to the groovy, yet troubling times after the Vietnam War, 5th of July centers on a family coping with the physical disability of one of their own after his tour in Vietnam. Yet, the thematic elements of the play fall short because of the chaotic plot changes and lack of cohesion between the actors, design, and the story line.
Fifth of July features numerous underdeveloped plot lines, which fly by faster than the audience can handle. Many are confused about what happened and not able to concentrate on any of the deeper elements of the play. There is no cohesion in the stories, and many of the plot lines are dropped before the end of the play. Things could have been done to make the play more understandable and accessible to the audience.
            I also felt that the actors did not work to try to explain some of the major plot elements in the play. I did not feel a connection to the actors through their performance. The over-the-top profanity became redundant. It did make you laugh, but at the same time was not a very intelligent type of humor. Actors Stacy Searle and Anastasia Munoz were victims of overdoing their characters. An eccentric character can be played to where they are believable and relatable, and I did not feel that this was the case in their performances. Lead actor Chris Hardin also fell below my expectations by not being able to express a wide range of emotion. As an injured war veteran who is struggling to become a regular part of society while maintaining a happy persona, Hardin should have been able to bring the audience to the pitfalls of his emotion and make us laugh. Whenever he tried to do either, it was not enough to make the character likeable. The only time I even felt sympathy for him was when he would fall hard because of his disability. Overall, I wish the acting had been more cohesive, fluid and personal.
            Although there were elements of the play that were successful, they were lost in the muddled mess of the plot. The setting was clearly established thanks to the work of costume designer Katrina Cahalan-Wilhite and set designer Bill Teague. Bellbottoms, neon suits, and plaid pants screamed “far out” 70s fashion, and the characters’ personalities were emphasized through their costumes. Cahalan-Wilhite showcased Gwen’s eccentric, flashy personality by having her wear a bright and extravagant formal gown to a country picnic. Overall, the costume design in Fifth of July was the outstanding element of the play.
             Set designer Bill Teague also fulfilled his responsibility to the audience with his realistic set that clearly displayed the time period. A typical 70s house on a country farm, it was an accurate depiction of what a house during that time would have been. Yet, the set did not make any thematic statements of its own, which was rather disappointing, but  overall the large, spinning set was impressive.
            Even though there were good aspects of the play, they were not apparent amidst the overdone, impersonal acting and the confusing plot design.